The Polygamous Mr Gold
by DaesGatling
Summary: Emma and Hook changed a little too much in the past and that sort of thing has consequences. Her price to pay when she goes back is finding herself the newest member of Rumple's harem of darling wives (Maleficent, Cruella, Belle, and Regina in that order) with no memory about her actions in the old timeline. Can Emma remember the past? Or can she be happy here. Crackfic and drama.
1. Chapter 1

It started with Maleficent. Rumpelstiltskin didn't mean to marry her. But they were beasties, shapeshifting freaks who were to be feared among men. They had no place to belong in the world they dominated. People hated and feared them. They were addicted to magic in their own ways. There was an understanding between them; it made sense at the time. Maleficent told him that he was free to marry anyone else that he wanted. She was open-minded like that. Just as long as she could as well. She had another husband tucked away somewhere. He didn't know who, or who the father of the baby was when she told him she was pregnant, but he knew it wasn't him. At least biologically. They'd talked about it at length and decided that he'd be the father of the child. Maleficent told him that the father was in no place to be any sort of father, and it would make no difference to Rumple whether it was a child by blood or not. Well, that was before the Charmings took it from them.

Cruella was next. They got drunk. It took a lot of liquor to inebriate the Dark One but Cruella somehow had a supply. And one night when Maleficent was seeing her other spouse (Spouses?) they decided to get drunk and somehow it seemed like a good idea to get married. He didn't know if he regretted it or not. It was very rare that they…indulged. But at least she always made sure he was immaculate…while insulting him as she did so. It was a weird sort of relationship. But he was pretty sure he loved her in their own little way.

Ursula WOULD have been next, they dated for a bit. Then she asked him how he felt about tentacles. He didn't feel anything good about tentacles. But apparently Cruella felt LOTS of things about tentacles. So that turned into something between the two.

Belle was after them. A spark of light in the ocean of darkness (and there was a lot of darkness in that castle.) He didn't mean to fall in love with the maid that was brought in to help clean up. But he did. Maleficent didn't mind her, Cruella was a lot harder to convince. Not because she loved him, she claimed, but because she didn't want to surrender her power as newest wife to a younger prettier thing. But before the curse, he finally convinced her, they were married. His first wife that preferred just him.

Then the curse came, the curse placed him with Regina for 28 years. For 28 years, Regina rebuffed his cursed advances; snarked at him in ways that confused him and finally talked him into adopted a son. A son named Henry. She named him after her father and that was weird, he thought her father's name was Larry. But she brought him back and he loved the boy like his own son. Then Emma came and he remembered, and Regina tried to poison her to get her out of the way. Henry got sacrificed. The curse got broken when Emma fought his first wife under the vault. But Emma didn't kill her, Rumpelstiltskin couldn't bear the thought that his first wife should get hurt from the curse. So instead he had something that would knock her out and extract the egg. The curse broke; he and Regina decided to make a go of it. They were both, that was the mantra. He believed if they were both, then the vows he believed he made should hold up. She stayed with him because he understood her and was one of the few people in town that didn't want to rip her to shreds. Plus doing so would break apart the only family that Henry ever knew until Emma came along. And on his visits, he'd be surrounded by three other stepmoms NOT her. Anyway, for Mr. Gold to have made vows to her, Regina supposed the cursed self that he thought she was made vows as well. And Regina never broke a vow. That was Snow's territory. Promises MAYBE. After all, there was a difference. Even if the memories weren't hers and were fake for him, she made a fake vow! Meanwhile Rumple just didn't choose to think about the time he spent with Cora and now her daughter. Just like Leopold! Their family tree was complicated enough. Wanting to make it work with the daughter of his lover who curse married him wasn't the creepiest thing he ever did….but it was sort of up there.

And then there came Emma. Honestly he didn't know what he was thinking when they eloped. She was Bae's love. His grandson/adopted son's mother. He supposed maybe that's why he did it. He married Emma; Henry could have his father and two mothers, and three stepmothers all in one household. He'd jokingly said they could make a deal when Emma was visiting. Emma jumped on board with it. Maybe she was drunk too and really good at hiding it. Maybe she secretly really liked older guys. He didn't know. Of all his wives, Emma was the one that didn't make much sense but he sort of went with it. Emma wasn't too dark, she wasn't too light, there was greyness to her that he found refreshing. He enjoyed her company.

So he had five wives in a six bedroom house. Even then that didn't feel like enough room. He wasn't sure the largest castle in the world was enough room.

And then one day, Belle got pregnant.

**A/N: I don't even know, this was an idea I had at 7 in the morning, we'll see how it goes. There's enough crack, snark, and potential friendships and relationships in it to work in a weird sort of way, so I'm going to see where it goes. **


	2. Chapter 2

When Rumpelstiltskin started expanding his family, it hadn't been something that was intentional, it was something that had just sort of happened….five times. And Rumple understood why some might consider this to be a bad idea. He was Rumpelstiltskin, and polygamy had a bad reputation in this world. It isolated women, repressed them and their potential, and usually reduced them to childbearing cattle for men who wanted to use women but he didn't. He loved all this wives; he just loved them all differently. And like him, they all could have as many partners as they wanted. Those like Maleficent and Cruella took advantage of that. And he didn't expect them to turn into baby machines just because he wanted kids.

It wasn't perfect, it was crowded and sometimes a bit claustrophobic and at least two of the ladies in his life were fighting over something. But there was a support system there otherwise. Something that none of them had had for a very long time. The closest person was Belle; she'd at least had her mother. He couldn't say much about her father though. He'd never really liked the man

The morning Belle dropped the news; it'd been Emma's night. That's how they did it here to keep things from descending into chaos. Each woman had a night. Maleficent, Cruella, Belle, Regina, and Emma. It was the order of the marriages and he was content with that.

Emma was new to all of this. They'd only been married for a month, she was practically a baby compared to everyone else, including Regina….and because of the curse Regina had been married to him almost as long as Maleficent had been. It led to a lot of arguments about hierarchy with Cruella.

They'd both awakened early that morning. Emma didn't get the best room due to being the new wife, when the sun rose; it hit her window first and woke both of them up. Emma kept trying to trade but none of the others were willing to give up theirs.

So when they both woke up early…well they were newlyweds and they had to have something to do before it turned eight in the morning and they had to get out of the bed.

Emma, covered in sweat, fell back against the bed, with a grunt, "That was…oh, that was vigorous."

Rumpelstiltskin smirked and moved to kiss her neck, "Should have seen me 150 years ago."

"And hearing that isn't creepy at all," Emma ran her leg down his hip

He rolled off her with a grunt and stared at the ceiling for a moment before turning to her, "You're beautiful when you wake up in the morning.

Emma rolled her eyes and threw the blankets back, "Shut up."

"I mean it," he protested.

"Don't be sappy," Emma opened her dresser and pulled out her clothes for the day, "What are you going to do today?"

"Shop stuff. Landlord stuff. It's rent week. You?"

"Sheriff Stuff."

"In office?"

"And probably on patrol. IT's rent week."

"They don't dare mess with me, dearie. I'm the dark one," he waved his arms dramatically as Emma had found out that he'd been known to do.

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about them."

"Oh, you cut me to the quick," he put his hand over his heart.

"Oh stop," Emma opened the closet and pulled out a suit for him, "Here, this is yours."

"Emma?"

"Hm?"

He looked at the suit in front of him. She'd gone and had a few of his suits dry cleaned for when it was her nights and mornings, just like the others did, "You're happy here, right?"

Emma hesitated, "It's been hard….to feel safe. To be taken care of this way…this much."

"You know, you're safe here."

"It's just…I never thought I'd find myself here….like this in this situation. And I mean, it's not bad, it's just…hard. And my parents, they're trying to accept it as best they can but with what they did with Maleficent…. Then there's Neal and my history…and Henry's adopted mother is his also his great grandmother. His adopted father is also his grandfather…"

He gave a wry smile, "It's a lot to take in, I know."

"I want this to work," Emma confessed, "But…sometimes it gets to be suffocating. I didn't enter this expecting it to be easy, but sometimes it's awful."

"What do you need?"

"I don't know, that's the problem."

"You don't need an answer now," he stood up, "Maybe we'll stop by the station for lunch. Would you like that?"

"It's Maleficent's day, she might not want to."

"Maleficent's got a lunch with Archie," he started to dress; I can make time for you."

The door opened. Emma jumped and went to dive behind the bed to cover herself. Belle came inside; she was wearing her little blue nightie.

"Belle!" Emma scolded, "Knock!"

"What is it, honey?" Rumpelstiltskin asked patiently.

"Rumple, I think I'm pregnant."

It took him a moment to process that. His eyes grew, and his heart hammered in his chest as he immediately started thinking about the possibilities. One of his wives was pregnant…or…could be, but Belle wouldn't say it unless it was a possibility.

He went over to take her hand. His eyes searched hers. Belle swallowed and nodded, she was sure that she might be.

"Well, then let's find out."

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This would be the first baby they might have and raise together in their little plural marriage family. So as the four women waited outside Belle's door, there was a bit of excitement and tension in the air as they waited for the moments to pass.

"How long does this usually take, darling?" Cruella went to check her watch and then realized she wasn't wearing one. Rumpelstiltskin knocking on each door to get them up and give them the possible news had dragged them all out of bed in various stages of undress. Emma took them all in, her little family for better or worse.

Maleficent stood closest to the door in a black lace trimmed floor length satin gown. Her hair braided down her back. Emma knew there was darkness in her but there was also sadness there. Emma felt the stirring in her stomach as she remembered what her parents did to her. The way they'd sacrificed Maleficent's baby… Emma had never thought Maleficent would welcome her because of that. And there was a tension there between them that was usually mostly there when she and Rumple went to dinner with her parents. Maleficent didn't punish her for her parents actions. She'd married into the family, that made her family. That was the thing about Maleficent; she took the first wife thing seriously. One could even say that she ruled it with an iron fist. Emma wasn't sure if she and Rumple loved each other. At least not in the way that the Enchanted Forest defined love, but there was a great respect there and a lot of affection. Maleficent had authority, she had Rumple's ear for that and so usually she got in the last word. She demanded respect and made sure one gave it to her

Then there was Cruella. Emma would've never agreed to the marriage if Cruella was first wife. She didn't love Rumple, and they frequently went into bickering and insults. Maleficent told her they married out of desperation and gin. Cruella liked tormenting the other wives and trying to boss them around. She liked her seniority. When Regina tried to challenge it, as she believed she was married to Rumple longest, it'd been a fight. By the time Emma got them apart, noses had to be reset, ribs taped over, stitches needed to be had and the woods nearly burned down. In the end, Regina didn't get what she wanted and so she went back to her place as fourth wife with her tail between her legs and Cruella's ever present smirk as she passed her in the hallway.

Belle was different. She was the first one that loved Rumple the way their world defined love. She was the first one to not seek another partner during the marriage. She focused on him. Maleficent told her once that Rumpelstiltskin was used to being second choice. He was used to being _shared. _But Belle was the first to break that. And he was enamored by it. He loved her back. Maleficent said she was happy for him, not many people got that anymore. Cruella was jealous and called her a chirpy little optimist like it was an insult. Emma was closer to her than anyone. Neither one had ever been dark; they never had to deal with that. And both were relatively new to this whole thing. Belle hadn't been married to Rumple for long. Maybe two years. The others were married far longer.

Regina…was Regina. Until Emma came along, her status had been newest wife. A situation that she loathed. She'd been married to him for 28 years even though it wasn't' 'him', it was Mr. Gold and they'd raised Henry together. She thought that should give her all sorts of things but it didn't. That's not how Maleficent organized things. It didn't matter who gave Rumple what in terms of cursed years of kids, what mattered was the order they married him. Emma suspected it was a bit deeper than that for maleficent though. Regina had shut her up in the mines as a dragon for 28 years. Maleficent didn't talk about it much, but once she'd hinted that she was awake the whole time and powerless. Another reason Emma suspected Maleficent didn't hear Regina's arguments was because she knew how Regina was. If Regina got to be second wife, she'd get bored with that relatively quickly and turn her eyes to 'first wife'. Meanwhile Cruella was relatively happy with the hierarchy of things. She made no move to overthrow Maleficent or cause strife because Maleficent married Rumple first. So Maleficent kept the competition quiet by making sure Cruella stayed right where she was. And what better way than to make sure everyone's place relied on the order they married Rumple? The relationship between Rumple and Regina was complicated though. Like Maleficent, there was affection there that couldn't be defined by Enchanted Forest terms. Emma thought maybe Regina fell in love with him a little bit during those 28 years they played house. They'd raised Henry together, surely they felt something. And he was good at handling Regina, Emma had learned a lot from Rumple when it came to managing Regina's temper and jealousy.

And then it was her. Emma wasn't sure why she'd married Rumple. Maybe it was a lot of reasons. Maybe it was to feel safe in some way. To be a part of something. Maybe it was because Henry was going to be in this house every day with four other women vying for 'mom' and so Emma joined in to make sure he was safe. He was living with three queens of darkness after all. Maybe she did it because she didn't want to be in the middle of Hook and Neal and so she took a third option. Maybe she saw Belle was the only 'non villain' wife and decided she'd throw in her lot to give Belle a fighting chance. Maybe it was none of those things; maybe it was all of them in some way or another. Emma wasn't sure. It was hard though, she knew Maleficent saw her parents in her when she looked at her sometimes, Cruella balked at having 'the savior' in their ranks, Belle was happy though. Emma felt that Regina was initially annoyed, angry and jealous that she had to share her position of Rumple's wife and Henry's mother with Emma. That faded when she realized she didn't have to be the new one anymore. That was Emma now. And Emma got the crap room, which caused Regina no end of glee.

The decision to marry into all this hadn't come lightly. Her parents were s cared for her, her father was furious. They worried about her. They worried that Emma was doing it because she didn't feel like she had a family, and by marrying all them, she was getting one. That's not why Emma did that. NO, of all the possibilities, not feeling like she had a family certainly wasn't one of them. Henry was different. Henry had been happy she came into the family. Emma got the feeling he was feeling in over his head with three other mothers moving into the house, he wanted her there too. It was impossible to tell how he felt about the whole polygamy thing. He treated the others with respect and they treated him as something they weren't quite sure what to do with yet.

Neal and Hook's reactions were different. Neal argued with her, he was worried about what being in that house with all that darkness could do to her psyche. But after hours of talking and figuring things out, he respected her decision. He looked uncomfortable every time he visited and saw her, but he didn't say anything more about it. She was content and learning to be happy. Henry was happy, and he got a relationship with Henry. That was all what he wanted.

Hook's was by far the most volatile. He listened stone faced as she told him what she was going to do. Without a word he turned around and walked away. That night he started a bar fight so bad that several people were hurt. Then he stole a portal and sailed away with it. Emma didn't know if she'd see him again.

"Emma!"

"What?" Emma was pulled out of her thoughts and gave a glare at Cruella.

"How long do these things usually take?"

"I don't know! Couple of minutes, I guess!" 

"What do you mean, 'you guess?' You're the only one here that's taken one!"

"Quite a few years ago!"

"Cruella's right, this would've been done by now if he used magic instead of a pregnancy test," Regina muttered. Cruella's face showed exactly how she felt about _Regina _agreeing with her.

"She wants to be practical," Emma defended.

"Who cares about practicality when we have _magic,_ darling?"

"Belle does," Emma said and ended it right there, "Anyway, it's not like you're running late for anything important."

"Work, darling. The paper might try to meander on without my advice column. And we can't have that when it's by far the most excellent written piece every day and this town is in desperate need of my guidance," Cruella checked her nails.

"With that hair?" Regina muttered

Cruella looked offended, "It's because I have to deal with you lot."

"What was your pitiful excuse before you met us?"

Maleficent finally got irritated, "Enough."

They all settled down, Cruella shot daggers at Regina, "Frankly, I'm surprised she hasn't been pregnant yet with the way those two go at it on their nights. Living next to them is horrendous."

Emma giggled.

Cruella glared, "Then you're on the other side darling, and that's just as bad when it's his nights with you."

"Don't be jealous."

"Darling, you'd have to be superior to me in some way for me to be jealous."

"Honestly, what did I _just _say?" Maleficent demanded.

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Being middle wife was sort of like how Belle would imagine being middle child. There were the older ones, there were the babies and there was Belle…smacked right in the middle. She wasn't special in anyway way. She wasn't a princess or a queen; she'd been a lady who gave up her title to go work for the Dark One and his two wives. Maleficent had a castle, Cruella had had…whatever Cruella had before she moved into the Dark Castle, Regina was a queen, Emma was a princess, Belle had nothing to her name.

And unlike the other four, she had no magic. She was boringly ordinary. She had no real position of power in the town either. Well at least not from how others would see. She felt she had plenty of power in her own way. She was a librarian and books were where knowledge came from. Where Maleficent was content to spend her days with Rumple in the pawn shop, and Cruella had her fashion article where she could boss people around in what they were wearing, and Regina had her mayor job, and Emma had her sheriff Job, Belle had her happy place in the library. She wanted for nothing else.

Well, except for this.

Belle stared at the stick as they waited. Rumpelstiltskin sat next to her, his strong hand clenched in hers. It said it would take three minutes but it seemed to pass for an eternity.

"A lot of women miscarry," Belle started, "My mother did a lot. Other women in court did too."

"This is different," Rumpelstiltskin promised her and squeezed her hand, "Medicine is better."

"Women still miscarry!"

"Yes," he agreed, "But it doesn't mean you will."

Belle ran her thumb over his knuckles, "What if it's a girl?"

He smiled faintly, "I've always wanted a daughter."

Belle smiled back and gripped his hand. "How do you think they'll feel?"

"Hard to say. Excited, nervous…it's the first baby we'd all raise together, so it makes sense that there's going to be a lot of emotions involved. IT won't be easy…you'll be the birthmother but there are four other moms here too…and they'll all have an opinion…but I think it'll bring us all together."

Belle smiled when he brushed some of her hair back. She looked down at the test and paper on the table. Two pink lines. Her face brightened and she turned to him, "I'm pregnant."

His face lit up, he kissed her passionately, Belle wrapped her free arm around his neck. They were going to have a baby!

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she covered his face with kisses. She stood up and raced to the door. Everyone was there. Even Henry had gotten up to see her. She was beaming as she showed them the stick, "I'm pregnant."

Emma was the first to hug her, "Congratulations.

"Thank you."

Maleficent didn't move from her place against the wall, but she nodded, "We'll have to start making preparations then. Congratulations Belle."'

Regina's face was unreadable, "Good job, I guess."

"Yes, congratulations on the sex, darling," Cruella said and patted her shoulder, "I have to go to work."

"Yeah me too, Grumpy and Astrid are getting it on in the back of a car again," Emma looked at her phone, "Can someone drive Henry to school? I'm going the opposite way."

"Cruella can do it, she's closest to the school," Maleficent said.

"Darling, you can't be serious." 

"You guys are running late, you'll get him there fastest," Maleficent said.

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The thing about Cruella was that she did drive fast. And she also drove like a maniac, how Cruella got out and around Storybrooke without crashing into anything or running anyone over was always a mystery to anyone that saw her sleek car going down the street.

It was worse when on was inside it. Henry liked the design of the car but he didn't like Cruella driving. HE was starting to suspect that Maleficent made her do this to irritate her, she didn't like him in the car any more than he did.

Cruella pulled up to the front of the school with a loud screech. Henry opened the door and stumbled out. Cruella rolled her eyes, oh it was _so _dramatic. What was his problem, kids loved high speed beautiful cars!

And if he wore that eyesore of plaids and stripes again, she was going to wring his scrawny little bird neck.

"You're not going to throw up are you?" Cruella said. She didn't want to have to pay for breakfast money so he could eat again.

"No."

"Good."

"Thanks for the ride, Cruella," he walked off like he was dizzy.

"Don't say I never did anything for you darling," she shut the door with a slam and peeled out into the street.


	3. Chapter 3

Rumpelstiltskin knew that not all his wives loved him. Some married him out of love, yes, but others like Cruella married him out of safety and security. There was still affection between them however biting and ill admitted. Cruella had a harder exterior than most of them in the family, but he could see her and understand her and in his own way love her. Just like he did all of them. There was something simple in the way Rumple loved, it even shined through as Mr. Gold. If he didn't love one of his wives by the time they stood in front of him at the altar, that changed the moment they were wed. It might not be true love, the same way he loved Belle or Maleficent but it was love.

And whatever child came their way into the family, he automatically loved even before it was in his arms. He loved Bae, he loved Maleficent's daughter and he loved Henry. Just like he would love this baby that Belle had. He loved all his family, with everything he had. Maybe a little too much sometimes but definitely he loved them.

"A baby," Maleficent said, finally breaking the silence as herself, Rumpelstiltskin, and Regina all walked to their destinations.

"A baby," he nodded and gave an excited smirk. He was going to be a father again.

"We're going to have to all sit down and discuss things tonight."

"What is there to discuss?" he asked, "We're having a baby."

"And that baby is coming into a crowded house with four other mothers," Maleficent pointed out, "There are going to have to be rules."

"What kind of rules?" Regina snapped, "We're all family. That baby belongs to all of us-"

"Did you see us as family when we all moved in?" Maleficent asked, "Or competition?"

"It's different," Regina said stubbornly, "We raised him for ten years by ourselves before you four came along again. This baby is getting born already into the family. It's all of ours."

"Will you say that when you decide to have your own?" Maleficent asked.

Regina gave her a death glare, "How dare you."

"Hey," Rumpelstiltskin said gently, "That's enough. Sweetheart, go ahead and open up the shop. I'll be along in a moment."

He waited until Maleficent was walking away before he rubbed Regina's arms, "What's bothering you?"

"Are you going blind in your centuries old age? She is! I can't have my own children and she -."

"She doesn't know that," he gently reminded her, "You wanted to keep it quiet, remember?"

Regina wrapped her arms around herself, "It's not fair."

"Regina, we have a son," he reminded her. "A wonderful son."

"And he'll be shoved aside at the new baby," Regina sneered.

Rumpelstiltskin tilted his head, "He will? Or are you scared that's what's going to happen to you?"

Regina looked startled and then she looked angry, "I have to go to work."

He waited till she walked past him, "What Belle and I have and the baby we have from it won't replace what I have with you."

"Of course it will," Regina muttered, "She's your favorite, we all know it."

"That's not true," he told her.

"She gets her own bathroom for God's sake, Rumple."

"That's how the choosing of the rooms went! You'd have had it but you wanted to keep the master bedroom for yourself since it was yours for 28 years. And why are you complaining? You got the bigger room and the bathroom and the room with the fireplace."

"Whatever."

"Listen to me," he pulled her closer, "You all chose me. For whatever reasons you had, you chose me and wanted to make this insane arrangement work. I spent so many lifetimes getting abandoned and rejected by so many people that I thought loved me. Do you think I'd play favorites with the few that do want to be near me?"

There was a moment of silence. Regina gave a sigh and rested her hands on his chest, "No."

"We've been married for over 28 years. We have a wonderful son together. That won't change now that Belle's pregnant."

"But you love _her." _

"And I love you," he promised her, "It's not as simple as my love for Belle. It's complicated, I know. We have a very…tumultuous history together that we're both trying to work through. But there's a darkness inside of me that you understand. You know how it feels to be in my place. Hey, if you did have a baby, would that replace your love for Henry?"

She tensed; she knew where this was going, 'No"

"Then why should this be different," he held her face, "I love you. That doesn't change. Not for people like us."

A few moments of silence passed, "Okay."

"Okay," he kissed her, "Try to have a good day, okay?"

She nodded and returned the kiss. He waited till she was walking off before he went to his own shop and slipped out of his coat. His first wife was already dusting off various things, there wasn't much on them, she never let this place get that dirty, it was just something to do, "You shouldn't antagonize her about her having a baby."

Maleficent looked confused, "I wasn't. I was making a point."

He hung the coat up, "Just don't bring it up to her."

"Why not?" she crossed her arms.

"For reasons I can't disclose at her asking," he kissed her cheek, "Just…please."

Maleficent seemed to understand what he was trying not to say, "Alright."

He rubbed her back and went to get the list for rent.

"But we do have to figure out some things when it comes to this baby," Maleficent told him, "We need to figure out rules and things the four of us are allowed to do that the birthmother is comfortable with."

"How do you mean?" he asked but he knew.

"Henry, for the most part, sees us as stepmothers who have influence on his life. Emma allows it. Regina….after dragging her feet in extremely dangerous ways came around to allow it as well. Belle might not be the same."

"Nonsense, Belle sees us all as family. She sees you all as mothers that can support her-"

"And what happens if another one falls pregnant and doesn't?" Maleficent asked, "This is something we all need to sit down after dinner tonight and figure out."

"Alright, alright," he found the list and put it in his portfolio, "I've also been thinking about getting a bigger place."

"That would make sense, all the rooms are taken and if it's born a girl, we'll have limited space to put her when she gets older."

"Problem is that not many houses are as big as ours or bigger," but that wasn't just the only reason. They were looking for their daughter too. When they found her…where were they going to put her?

"Then we'll summon one," she smirked, "How about a castle?"

"That would certainly stand out."

"We'll put it in the center of town. Just so they notice."

He grinned and went to kiss her, "Center of attention. Some of the wives would love that."

"Closer to the hospital that way," Maleficent pointed out and put her hands in her pockets as she went to the back, "By the way, I'm trading my night with Belle. It's a time of celebration for the two of you."

He gave a smile, "Thank you."

She went to kiss him on his cheek, "I'm going to see if there are any new leads for Lily."

"Want me to wait for you?"

"No, no, you go ahead and get rent; I'll catch up to you."


	4. Chapter 4

There was a rule during all this that Rumpelstiltskin spent time with one of the wives when it was their day. They talked about whatever was bothering either or they went on dates…had a whole bunch of sex but sometimes exceptions were made. Originally Rumpelstiltskin was supposed to have lunch with Emma today because Maleficent was having her therapy session. But now that Maleficent traded her day for Belle's, he'd been worried he'd have to break his promise to Emma. Until Belle told him that she wanted to spend time with her father and break the news to him. So it all worked out.

He didn't go to the diner for her lunch, he made it himself. She never asked for much. Grilled cheese was her favorite. He bought onion rings from the store and cooked them in the deep fryer. The onion rings took longer than the bloody sandwich!

It was a miracle, this modern technology. It made him a better cook. He wasn't…bad in the enchanted forest but he was a simple man of simple tastes. He could survive on water, wine, bread, and stew...and occasionally cake. It wouldn't bother him much.

Try impressing five wives with that menu.

The fancy food in the Enchanted Forest never failed to trouble his dark one stomach. Gods, he was pretty sure that Cruella's stomach was made out of iron with the things she could eat. Apparently the "Cruella can no longer kill' rule didn't count when she was trying to kill herself with the food that the rich served.

And the woman was painfully thin, where did it all go?

"You okay?"

He was pulled out of his thoughts by his wife. She had the sandwich half eaten. The Onion rings were already gone, the only evidence they had been there was the crumbs around the large mountain of ketchup she'd poured onto the plate.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat, "Just…mind wandering."

"You excited?" Emma asked.

He smiled, his heart hammered in his chest at the thought of a baby. His baby that he'd meet in a few months, "Yes."

"When does Belle want to make the announcement?" 

"When she's probably resuscitated her father when he falls over dead." 

"Hey now," Emma warned.

"I've never liked the man."

"He doesn't like you either, and he sort of has a right to. You told him you'd only bother to lift a finger to help him if he handed over his daughter shortly after his wife died. Anything could've been happening to her for all he knew. Then he didn't hear from her until you got engaged to her…and then he had no choice but to marry her to you and like it."

Rumpelstiltskin blinked, "There are worse men she could've married!"

"And then he had her throughout the curse for 28 years and you came by after the curse was done and took her back."

"I had a right to! She's my wife."

"And if any man took your daughter and gleefully tormented you like you do Mr. French, how would you feel about him?"

He stared at her, "Obviously you've been thinking more about this than I have."

"Hm, thought so," Emma finished off her sandwich and wiped her hands off, "Can I ask you something?" 

"Of course."

"What if we had a baby?"

He hesitated. His heart hammered in his chest. He wanted to tell her yes. That was what he wanted. He wanted a big family with lots of children to care for and spoil. He wanted to be surrounded by love and affection but he knew it had to be the right time, "I don't want you to feel pressured to have a baby."

"I don't!" 

"Ultimately it's your decision on when you want to have one."

"It's _our _decision."

"Emma, we're still early on in being married. We're still getting used to the other. You're still getting used to all of them. That's a lot of pressure that you're facing. Being a new wife is always hard. A baby, while wonderful could also be an added burden. We still have time. We have plenty of that and so there's not really a need to rush into anything."

"But if I did want a baby..."

"Then we'd have a baby," he said simply, "But I do think it's too soon. Enjoy newlywed life, get to know your son, get to know the other wives….get to know _me." _

"I know you."

"You know the things I've done but you're still getting to know _me._ There's a difference." 

"Most wives get that done before the marriage."

"Most wives don't have to share a husband either. Or their son in…the arrangement that we all have."

"We have a weird family." 

"Would you believe me if I told you that weirder exists?"

"Not sure."

"Not even reality shows?"

"I'm not sure those are as 'real' as they want us to believe."

He reached for her hand. Emma tightened it and kissed the back of it.

"Are there any developments?" he asked, "With Maleficent's daughter?"

"Not yet," Emma told him and looked at the computer, "I've…looked at all my resources but abandoning children isn't exactly new or rare in this world either."

"Your story made headlines."

"Because they believed that I was found on the side of the road," she told him, "That my parents gave birth to me and threw me away as soon as they could. Baby in the woods might've got some coverage but considering how depraved people are, not much."

He ran his thumb over the back of her hand, "I was supposed to be her father, Maleficent wanted me to raise her. Not the first child I've lost through a portal, ironic isn't it?"

Emma cringed, "My parents shouldn't have done that."

"You'll have to forgive them eventually."

"I've forgiven them."

"Have you? Family dinners are tense."

"Have _you_?"

"For locking me up when I wanted to take a baby given to me in a contract when they took my daughter by force and separated her from her mother that never agreed in any way to it? No. But I'm not their child, I don't have that pressure."

"What they did was awful."

"Things I've done are awful too."

"It's different. They're my parents; they're supposed to be…Snow White and Prince Charming."

"No one could live up to that fairy tale drivel that this world makes our world's stories into," he told her, "Why don't you go to your family for dinner?"

"Because it's still tense with the baby revelation and me becoming a polygamist?"

"If I have to play nice with Belle's father then you have to play nice with your parents, it's only fair."

Emma glared, "I actually have a reason." 

"You have a reason to be angry at Regina and Myself as well. You're not."

Emma sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "I'm taking Henry though."

He gave a smile and nodded, "It's a start."

Emma rested her head in her hands and rubbed her eyes, "We should focus on the search."

"Indeed."

Emma looked up, "Is there anything you saw in that crystal ball thing that could tell us anything? Like…scars or birthmarks or anything identifying?"

He tried to think and it wasn't until he ran his thumb over his wife's tattoo that he remembered something. It'd been so faint that he'd forgotten about it until now, "There's a mark on her wrist when she was born."

Emma perked up, "What mark." 

"Some sort of…burst or star or something like that." 

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Emma demanded.

"I forgot."

Emma went to her computer and then hesitated, "Wait…a star?"

"Yes." 

"And her name is Lily?"

"Lilith yes."

Emma looked stunned, "It couldn't be."

"Emma?"

"I think I know who that is!"

He felt his heart hammering in his chest, what was she talking about? Could it be that she'd met her during her travels to, "Emma?"

The phone cut through the tension. Emma automatically reached for the phone and put it to her ear. HE nearly waved the phone away, whatever it was, it could hardly be more important than his daughter.

Emma looked up, alarm on her face, "Henry got into a fight."

He sat up straighter, "What?"

"He's in the principal's office," Emma hung up and grabbed her coat, "We can talk about Lily in the car."

"Yes, because this is another conversation that I'm very interested in hearing about," he muttered and went to follow her.


	5. Chapter 5

The school wasn't that far of a drive from the sheriff's station, Emma could've probably walked it if she wanted to but she was lazy sometimes and the car was inviting. So as she drove over, she told her husband everything that she could remember about Lily and the times they'd met growing up. He was quiet for the most part, Emma couldn't look at him, she inexplicably felt guilty that she had known Lily and hadn't thought that she would be the same as Maleficent's Lilith.

"So she and you had a little life of crime did you?"

"Petty thievery, not the worst thing I've done," Emma climbed out of the car, "Not the worst thing I've done. I met your son stealing a car."

"Clearly she was a bad influence on you," he said half humorously, "Now I know who nicks my sandwiches, I thought it was Belle."

"It's not Belle, it's Regina"

"Deflecting, are you?"

Emma signed, "The last I saw her, she was telling me that her life turned for the worst ever since she met me. What if she wasn't exaggerating? What if it was her fate to carry my darkness as well as the darkness that she was already capable of?"

"We all have it in us to do right, Emma. Even me, cursed as I am."

"But she has it harder because of me." 

"Because your parents made a decision that hurt a lot of people. None of that is your fault," he held the door open for her, "In the end, we're all accountable for our own actions. You know that. we have enough of our sins without taking on anyone else's for them."

Emma walked through right to the principal's office and froze, "Oh no."

All her husband's other wives were waiting for them. And Bae, who looked extremely extremely uncomfortable.

Emma averted her eyes when Bae looked at her. All these months and it was still awkward to be around him after….the marriage to his father. And now her best friend was her sister wife's daughter, this family kept growing odder and odder. Did that mean that Lily was now Emma's own daughter too if they were truly going to try this 'plural mother' thing that some were suggesting?

No, she couldn't think about that, she was going to get a headache and freak out at the same time.

Rumpelstiltskin took in all his wives, "What are you all doing here?"

"Darling, we're here to see to our son," Cruella said.

Regina grimaced at that, "God help any kid that you mother."

"How did you all get the call? Did the principal call all of you?" Emma demanded.

"Of course not, the news spread like wildfire, son of the polygamy family gets into a fight, it was a far more entertaining tattle tale than pie thievery or what have you," Cruella started and then shrugged, "Some little snotrag called the office in hopes of getting a tip and his name on the paper. I gave him tomorrow's cost in milk money."

"We can't all go into that office," Neal muttered, who was getting more uncomfortable by the minute.

"Thank god," Regina muttered.

"Emma, Regina, Bae and I will go inside," Rumple said simply, "The rest of you can wait out here."

"Why did I come here then?" Cruella muttered while Maleficent just observed from the corne. Belle sat next to Maleficent and looked worried for all this.

Regina stood and scoffed, "Because you're nosy."

"Well, I suppose there's that," Cruella admitted.

The door opened, the principal stuck his head out and paled as he saw the whole family gathered there. He seemed at a loss of what to do for a moment and swallowed nervously. Emma felt for him, it could be daunting, "It's just the four of us. Not everyone's going in there."

He seemed nervous at which four would go in there but he let them all in. Emma and the other three piled into the room. Henry sat there staring at his feet in the chair that was against the wall.

The office was a bit bigger than what Emma was expecting, but it took a bit of maneuvering still to figure out the sitting arrangement. In the end, Emma and Regina were sitting down and the fathers in Henry's life stood behind them.

"What's this all about?" Emma asked

THe principal played with the end of his tie and looked between all of them nervously, "Your son….he's been in an altercation with three other boys in the school…."

"Three on one?" Emma asked. She tried not to look out the corner of her eye where her husband's chest puffed up with pride. His son took on three boys and only had a few scrapes to tell about it.

"No, there were others on Henry's side but we've yet to locate who they were."

Regina looked over at Henry, "Why were you fighting?"

Henry shrugged.

"Answer your mother," Rumplestiltskin told him.

"I don't know, they were saying things about us."

The proud look on Rumple's face for his son disappeared, "would you excuse us please?"

"We have to talk about punishm-."

"He'll be punished," Rumplestiltskin snapped, "LEave."

"Papa, he's only doing his job," Neal said as the man practically ran out the door.

"Do I care?"

Neal's eyes flashed angrily, "Don't start pulling the same things on Henry that you did to me."

"Stop," Emma whispered harshly and went to kneel down in front of her son, "You can't fight because they say things about us, Henry. THey will always say things about us. You can't let it affect you."

"They called us incestuous."

"No one related by blood married," Regina sniffed and folded her arms, 'I'm assuming."

"For some, incest goes deeper than just blood relationships," Emma muttered and turned back to her son, "Henry….what we all have is...complicated."

Neal looked away.

"Not everyone will understand. NOt everyone will welcome it. Most will talk. Most will try to get a rise out of you by saying we're sick and what we're doing is wrong."

"Is it?" Henry asked.

"It's complicated," Emma held, "But not wrong. We all did this, we all wanted this. We're a family. Is it weird? Yeah. It's not a normal situation here but we're not exactly normal are we?"

He gave a small smile, "Guess not."

"Yeah," Emma reached out and brushed some hair from his face. Part of the reason that she'd agreed to the marriage was because Henry was alright with it. If he hadn't been, there was no way that Emma was going to go through with it.

"Come on, let's get you home," Emma went to help him up.

"I could take him home," Neal stood up straighter, "Maybe talk to him?"

Emma felt the words catch in her throat, she looked over to Rumple who nodded and Regina who rolled her eyes, "Okay."

"Okay," he held out his arm and Henry came forward. Rumple put his hand on his son's shoulder, "Come on, buddy."

Emma smiled at the sight of her son and son's father. She put her hands in her pockets and leaned against her husband as he rubbed her back as he passed, "Come on. We have to talk to Maleficent."

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When the wives married Rumple, three of five of them had been dark. Belle had known that when she was brought into the family and she'd known that when they all sat down and agreed to make a go of this polygamy thing here. But being alone with two of them was always daunting. Belle wasn't scared, but there was always that feeling that she'd had as a maid that if she messed up, they'd chew her up and spit her out.

It had felt like an eternity ago when she'd been brought to the Dark Castle as a maid and handmaiden to Rumple's two wives. Maleficent didn't ask for much. She had her own demons to work through. After being gone for years to her own castle and experimenting on diluted sleeping curse, she and Rumple were trying to find out where they were in their relationship. Cruella was the worst though. It'd taken Belle a few weeks of frayed nerves to realize that Cruella liked winding her up to watch her go. She was cursed, like Rumple, but instead of having a hair trigger temper that led to people getting hurt, she couldn't hurt anybody. So when they weren't seeing the world together, Cruella tormented Belle where she could while Rumple worked on his curse.

Belle had not meant to fall in love with Rumple, it had just happened. Thier adventure to get back the wand, the library, the way he looked at her and the way she saw him as more than he presented himself….it'd just happened. There was a lot of talking about it though, there was a LOT of talking before she'd been married into the family.

And now she was going to have a baby….and...that was a lot of pressure.

She sat on one side of the booth at Grannys, Maleficent beside her. Cruella sat on the other side, "I drove him to school and that's how he thanked me? Pulling me out of work to go to the office. Like he's my son"

"He is our son," Maleficent said testily. She glared daggers at Cruella, she still blamed her for not jumping into the portal to take care of Lily and make sure that she was safe. For choosing the comfortable married dark castle life over protecting an infant.

"Not the way those four breezed in and left us out in the reception," Cruella slurped on her milkshake for several seconds...maybe a minute without breathing, "Is that what you're going to do?"

It took Belle a few seconds to realize that she was talking to her, "I don't...I don't know."

"Not that I mind, I"m a terrible person as you very well know but the others might want to play mother to your baby too."

"Leave her alone," Maleficent told Cruella, "She's only just found out that she was pregnant."

"There's a lot still to process," Belle admitted.

"Just don't name it Cruella, darling. I'm not sure if you know this but my mother named me Cruella and sealed my fate for life."

"Pretty sure that was you," Belle muttered.

"And there's that spirit that's been hiding for awhile," Cruella smirked.

"I have not."

"You've been quiet," Maleficent pointed out.

"A lot's been happening," Belle admitted, "We wake up, Rumple's married to the woman that cursed us that he manipulated. He brings Emma to the fold not long after….then Neverland...and Rumple died and we were all widows...then Zelena came here after using her flying monkey as a sacrifice to resurrect him….it was a lot."

"And now things are finally settled down."

"Yes, for now," Cruella muttered.

Maleficent shot her a glare. Cruella shrugged.

"No matter what happens, I swear to you that you will be safe."

"you can't promise that," Belle told her, "Anything could happen."

"That's true. But you're also in the presence of several magical wielding people who can keep you safe. YOu saw what we were capable of. You saw what we did to Zelena as soon as we saw she had our husband."

Belle shuddered, "It certainly wasn't one of the longer wars we've had."

"Barely even a battle darling," Cruella smirked, "Oh look, there they are now."

Belle looked over and smiled at her husband, Emma, and Regina as they all approached, "How'd it go?"

"His father is dealing with him," Rumpelstiltskin kissed the top of Maleficent's head and rubbed Belle's back, "Can we borrow Maleficent for a bit?"

"Why?" Maleficent asked.

"There's been a development about Lily that you'll want to hear."

"Alone?" Cruella looked disappointed.

"This time, yeah, probably best," Emma whispered.

Maleficent grabbed her coat, "YOur shop?"

"Yeah," Rumplestiltskin waved his hand and took them all in a puff of smoke.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

There was a bit of a feeling every time that Maleficent met Emma that made her think that she was talking to the principal of something. So when she, Maleficent and Rumple all sat in the pawn shop to talk, Emma realized this must be how Henry felt before they all got there.

And she still felt guilty.

"So, she was thrown out then," Maleficent asked, 'And then you lost contact with her?"

"I never saw her again."

Maleficent looked at thier husband, "I can't leave the town, can I?"

"No, not with what Regina did to you," He looked disgusted at the thought he was having, "You'd crumble to dust."

And what Emma had done when she inadvertently killed her to get the true love potion...only for Maleficent to come back because of the preservation spell.

Maleficent sighed, "You have to get her."

Emma looked up, "Me?"

"If I can't leave town, then you have to go get her."

Emma almost wanted to protest but she knew she couldn't. No matter what Rumple said, her parents cast the spell because of her. She beared some of the responsibility, "Okay."

"I'll go with you," Rumplestiltskin told her and grabbed his cane to stand up, "I'll pack."

"We sort of have to find her first, don't we?" Emma asked, "I'll have to make some calls-."

"Dearie," Rumplestiltskin said in exasperation, "You and I can find her easily. Do you forget who you're married to?"


	6. Chapter 6

_Magic came easily to Maleficent growing up. Like her mother before her, like her father before that. Magic was a thing that ran in their bloodlines since the beginning of time, they said. She had very old magic, and she was a prodigy, it came easily. _

_ When she was eight, she turned to a dragon for the first time. A small one, one that drew the attention of several people. It was dangerous, and her mother taught her caution. She couldn't lose her only daughter, but Maleficent ignored her. To be a dragon was like a freedom that she never really had before. She could fly; she felt the power and strength through her muscles and wings. It felt like she was alive more in dragon form than when she was human. _

_ Maleficent understood her magic and its consequences. She was protector and she was destroyer. She could not be killed as easily as she could be when she was a human. And as she grew, her knowledge and her abilities grew. People paid her to protect their realms. Maleficent got a castle out of the deal; she made more money than she could ever spend. So she holed up in there, she surrounded herself with books and she learned. _

_ And then one day when she was 21, the Dark One came to her. Maleficent expected his arrival. She knew that she'd get his attention eventually; he liked his ladies with magic. He liked his little games. Maleficent knew, she read everything she could on him. First person accounts, stories, anything that she could get her hands on. _

_ He didn't bother knocking; he just walked in like he owned the place. _

_ Maleficent leaned on the doorframe as she watched him. She was wearing a simple black dress, her hair fell down her back in a loose braid, "You could knock." _

"_I know you were expecting me." _

"_I could burn you for trespassing." _

_ "I could turn you into a toad."  
_

_ "I could still turn into a dragon." _

_ "But a miniature one." _

_ "Even small dragons breathe fire." _

_ "So you'll warm my hands, then? That's wonderful hospitality!" _

_ Maleficent smirked and summoned wine and bread, ultimately welcoming him as a guest in her castle, "What can I do for you, Dark One?" _

_ "I've heard some things about you and your abilities, so I thought I might pop by." _

_ "You wouldn't come here unless you wanted something, I've heard all about you and how you operate," she raised an eyebrow. _

_ He looked amused instead of insulted and went to fix himself a plate, "I heard about your magic."  
_

_ "I'd imagine so." _

_ "But it's sloppy at best, promising but amateurish-." _

_ "No it's not." _

_ Rumpelstiltskin turned back to her and looked annoyed at first but then his amused look came back, "Perhaps I just want to offer you lessons." _

_ "I don't need them. I can turn into a dragon, I can summon things, and I know potions, I don't need anything else." _

_ "I can teach you so much more."  
_

_ 'I don't care." _

_ "Not even ripping out the hearts of your enemies?" _

_ "I can burn them." _

_ He looked disappointed, "That's not very artistic." _

_ "Gets the point across, I think." _

_ He smiled, "Would you at least settle for agreeing to keep me company then?" _

_ "I didn't realize a man as powerful as you could be lonely." _

_ "I'm not lonely!" he said but his voice gave that lie away, "I'm just bored. I want to see a dragon!" _

_ She mulled it over; she knew about him, she knew the rumors surrounding him and the king's daughter in law, Cora. It was said that they had some affair while she was engaged to the prince. It was said that after Cora gave birth to Regina, she tried to take the throne by eliminating the competition one by one. It hadn't ended well, they caught on. Cora was driven out, she could never step foot into that kingdom again, it'd taken powerful magic to keep her out of the realm. Rumpelstiltskin MUST have been furious with her and whatever betrayal she'd done to him. He was the one that fortified the kingdom against her. _

_ Well, why not let him stay? She was bored too, "I won't make deals with you." _

_ "Understood." _

_ "I won't hand over any children I have." _

_ "Makes sense if there are no deals to be had." _

_ "Fine," Maleficent said, "You may stay." _

_ "When will I see the dragon, dearie?" _

_ Such dirty talk for just meeting, "When I feel like it." _

_ 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000_

_ He saw her often. Several times a week even. Maleficent realized how lonely he was then. He didn't seem invested in manipulating her for a deal, he didn't care if she wanted anything from him. She never did. He just seemed happy to spend time with someone not intent on using him. _

_ He didn't talk much about his past at first, he sat there and ate her food, read her books, napped in her bed and talked about whatever gossip that came his way. The Dark One was a gossiper. It was astounding. But slowly he came to trust her, he told her about his son. He told her about Milah and Cora and his curse._

_ Three years into their little friendship, she finally trusted him enough to show him her dragon form. _

_ The next day, he proposed. _

_ And they were married in the garden of the Dark Castle; Maleficent loved him in her own way. She understood him, she understood his loneliness, she understood his power. They didn't desire anything from the other except company. They got on well, so she agreed to marry him on one condition. She wanted to keep the marriage possibly open. She turned to a dragon and there were some times that…well…what happened in dragon form…._

_ And she didn't want to be tied down, and he respected it. _

_ It was a good marriage. One wouldn't expect the Dark One to be a good husband, but he was. He didn't claim her property or lands as his now that he was married to her. He wouldn't even go to her castle without invitation. He stood outside her bedroom door awkwardly unless she invited him in. _

_ Cora did a number on him. _

_ He tried to keep her out of the way of most of the people he dealt with, but she still happily accompanied him to several places he would visit. Sometimes they went to entirely different worlds together. She saw things that she could describe, magicks that blew her mind. Things called electricity and technology. One world had something called an 'aura' in the sky. Lights of blue and green that danced across the sky like waves. She saw things that no one else in this world saw. _

_ Then, the problems started happening throughout the years of their marriage. They tried for children, but could never conceive. He blamed himself; he said something like him could never create something innocent. Then the time came when she'd go weeks without seeing him while he was away on his trips. She took to her own castle, started experimenting with magic and diluted sleeping potion out of sheer boredom when he was gone. Then she was hooked. He tried to help her, but she didn't want help. In the years they'd been married, she still felt as lonely as before they'd tied the knot. Men came, they took parts of her little kingdom, Stephen, Aurora's father waged war on her, and she lost, and lost her will to fight. _

_ Then, Regina came. All innocent and angry and vicious. She used her own issues to push Maleficent back on the path that she wanted to be. She remembered who she was. She remembered why she was the mistress of all evil. She destroyed Stephan's army, took his heir from him and restored her castle. She destroyed her drug of choice with Regina watching and then…showed Regina how much she appreciated her help. It was clumsy and odd but not entirely awful. _

_ She returned to her husband, by then he'd taken another wife, Cruella was someone he'd married when they were both drunk. It was a tense time but ultimately he forgave her, he welcomed her back. And she had to deal with her own demons as well as her recovery. Withdrawal was hard. Her nearly abandoning her husband completely was something she had to face up to. She'd hurt him, she'd hurt herself. _

_ Cruella was nearly impossible to deal with at first. Then Maleficent realized that it was just her way. After months of dancing around each other, they fell into their niche. Cruella became close with her. Maleficent learned about her life, her confinement and what this man forced her to stop doing. _

_ Though Maleficent was really grateful for that, she didn't want to have to check everything she ate for poison. _

_ After Cruella, he fell in love with the maid that was brought in to help both of them. She was young; Maleficent felt that she was a young sister, maybe someone to teach about the world. Maleficent liked her; she found innocence to her that was endearing. _

_ And then…one day…when she was in dragon form, it happened. And she became pregnant. It was something she hesitated to tell Rumple at first. Since they'd had problems for years, but it was talked about. They agreed to raise it together. _

_ But the curse was coming, and Maleficent couldn't be separated from her child, so she begged the heroes for help. She kept the fact about her baby quiet at first. Perhaps that was a mistake. Perhaps burning those three guards to get across the bridge was also a mistake. And maybe taunting them about their baby's potential for evil was also short sighted. Because Snow White refused to help. _

_ And then she __**took **__her baby. Maleficent had left Cruella and her sometimes lover to guard her baby and they hadn't. And she lost her baby girl, and Cruella fell into the portal after her and then lied to say they left her to die. _

_ The only reason Cruella wasn't dead was because Rumple asked that she not murder her. Maleficent never understood why. Maybe it was sentimentality. It couldn't be anything more than that. Not in Maleficent's mind. He'd taken Lily's kidnapping as hard as she did, he'd grieved with her. It was part of what brought them close again. They'd need it after the curse hit_

_ Regina locked her up under the dungeon in dragon form. Maleficent figured that was probably partially her fault, when Rumple was imprisoned; she turned into a dragon and didn't look back. But Emma 'killed' her to get the potion…and magic returned. And Rumple used the blood of Snow White and Charming to bring her back…just in time to find out about her former lover's curse marriage to her husband. _

_ Regina's marriage to Rumple was…awkward. Regina had been married to Rumple for nearly as long as she had technically. Though Maleficent would hold that she was really married to Mr. Gold. Not Rumple. And they'd adopted a son together, something that she and Rumple had never really done. Maleficent figured that she could've picked any baby she wanted that came through the castle and Rumple would let her have it. But she'd wanted her own with him. And now she was too old and her real daughter was gone. _

_ Then there was Emma. Emma and Rumple's relationship was…complicated at best. She had a child with his son, who was Rumple's adopted son. IT was strange and complicated. Though, that was them, wasn't it? So complicated. Maleficent always thought that Emma agreed to date and later marry Rumple because taking a third option was better to her at the time. Not even she knew the real reason. Oh, she imagined there was a lot but she didn't know what the ACTUAL reason was. _

_ And she imagined that she never would. _

_ 000000000000000000000000000000000000_

"What are you thinking about?"

Maleficent had been lost in thought for about an hour, she was staring at the fire in front of her. Her husband was beside her. She had her head resting on his shoulder. The feeling of his fingers through her hair relaxed her in a way. She needed it for her churning stomach.

They were going to go find her daughter, but she'd be home…waiting for an update. IT was a big world out there.

"Oh you know, little bit of this, little bit of that."

He gave a small hum and kissed her temple, "I love you"

"I love you too."

He squeezed her hand, "I'm going to bring her home. I promise you I won't come home unless she's with me."

"I know."

He wrapped his arms around her, "I'm going to go to bed."

"Okay."

He kissed her and rested her forehead against his, "It's going to be okay."

"I know."

He gave her a kiss, "Try and get some sleep okay?"

"Like I could sleep tonight."

"I know sweetie but…you did trade your night for Belle's. So I can't help you."

She smiled and tapped him lightly, "Go on to bed, you."

She wrapped the blankets around herself and watched the fire as she heard the others wished Rumple and Belle and good night. Maybe just a few more moments and then she'd go to her room.

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When Regina had made herself barren, she hadn't thought about the consequences of what she was doing to herself. It had taken her awhile to realize that that seemed to be a habit with her. It's why she cast the curse, it's why she did a lot of the things that she did. She was impulsive and she was reckless. And she suffered, her son suffered, a whole world suffered. Regina was slowly coming to terms with that fact. She was slowly understanding what it was that she did and what it meant.

She had never…been raised to think of other people. Her mother had made sure of that. Her father halfheartedly tried when it was too late to do anything about it. She thought of Daniel as an equal…for that time. And then he was killed and Regina did what she had to do to never feel like a victim again. She turned into her mother. She turned into something _worse _than her mother.

And now that she was living with people she hurt; Maleficent, Emma, Henry…even Belle to some point. None of them coddled her the way Snow had tried, they all were upfront about what she did, they were willing to help but she had to meet them halfway.

She had hated it at first, she didn't think she was to blame, it was all everyone else's fault…but as the days turned into months and she couldn't escape three other wives that turned into four, she slowly realized that sonly she was to blame for her own actions.

And that was hard.

She was still angry, she was still bitter, she was still jealous. But at least her first instinct wasn't to plan someone's death. The cricket called that progress.

Rumpelstiltskin was spending the night with his pregnant wife tonight; Regina expected that it'd be a loud night. So she grabbed her pillow and padded down to Maleficent's room. She opened the door, "You awake?"

"Yeah" Maleficent said.

She shut the door behind her. She and Maleficent had been close once. Not so much so after Regina fought her for the dark curse and then locked her below the library. But there had been at one time that she had helped Mal, she had helped her be a dragon again…

For her own selfish purposes but she had.

And then they spent the night together. Regina had…sort of liked it. She'd been curious ant the curiosity had been sated…and she moved on.

Only for her cursed husband to have Maleficent as his first wife, it was awkward. Not as awkward as him marrying their son's birthmother but awkward.

Regina slipped beside her in the bed, "So, big day tomorrow."

"Yeah," Maleficent said.

Regina stared up at the ceiling, "You never told me you were pregnant."

"I never wanted you to know. You thought love was a weakness, you exploited the unicorn I got for my daughter to distract me enough to get the curse from me."

Regina supposed that was fair, "I can't imagine what you've gone through."

"I missed everything."

Like Snow and Charming had to Emma. Because of her, "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Not this time?"

She heard Maleficent smile, "They were going to do it regardless of the curse or not, I'd imagine."

They laid there in silence, "Rumple's in there with Belle, can I sleep in here?"

"Sure."

"He needs to soundproof the rooms better."

"You could too."

"I blew a hole in the wall last time," Regina turned and looked at her, "Anyway, what excuse would I Have then for coming in here?"

Maleficent rolled her eyes, "Are you flirting?"

"Maybe for tonight."

"Why?"

"I want to make you feel better," Regina shrugged, "And make me feel better. Rumple promises me that Belle being pregnant won't make me and Henry less special and I think I believe that but…there's that doubt."

"I'll have you know that I'm married," Maleficent half teased.

"Me too, what a coincidence, he won't care though."

"Mine will probably be jealous that he wasn't in the middle of it."

"I think mine would be happy if me and his lovers all shared a bed and banged each other. It's not likely but I'm sure he has that fantasy."

Maleficent slipped out of her pajama bottoms under the covers, Regina moved closer, "You want me to knock on Emma's door and ask if she wants to join?"

"You think she would? Surely Cruella's a better candidate."

Ugh, like Regina would share a bed with _her, _"Nah, Cruella would want to attention on her. As for Emma, I don't know. She probably hasn't even thought of experimenting yet."

"We should probably let her sleep, work on corrupting her with our feminine wiles when she gets back," Maleficent told her, "Even if you dislike her.'

"I don't dislike her," Regina muttered, "I just don't _like _her that much."

"Enough to consider experimenting with her."

"Well apparently I'm a sucker for blonde women and brunette men."

"Belle will be heartbroken that she's automatically excluded."

"I don't think Belle has any sexuality except for Rumplesexual."

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There was always a passion from Rumple when he visited Belle on her nights, but there was something more to it this time. Belle felt it in his kisses and his touches…she felt it in their lovemaking and afterwards in his embrace. He had bene happy before, but now he was positively glowing.

When she said as much, he kissed her, "I know. Things are changing Belle, "I can feel it. We're going to have a baby. We're going to find Lily…everything's changing."

She kissed his chest, "Your family will be complete."

Two sons (one of them also being his grandson), a daughter, and another child on the way, he was going to have what he worked so hard for to reunite all of them. And she was excited, "How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"I don't know," he rubbed her back, "It'll mess up the schedule though, we'll have to redo it."

"Don't' worry about that."

"If Lily stays here, we'll have to find a bigger place…"

"Don't worry about that."

'Of course I worry about it, that couch downstairs is uncomfortable. And none of you will want to share a room. Sometimes you all barely want to share a house."

"Hey," Belle whispered and brushed his hair back, "It'll be okay. We can add on. But tonight is a night of celebration. You could have your whole family in a few months' time."

He smiled and brushed her hair back, his eyes on fire with excitement, "We're all going to have so many children."

"The house will be a castle by the time we're old enough to stop."

He kissed her and went to roll on top of her again, but he hesitated, "No….no, I have to get some rest for tomorrow."

Belle pouted but relented, "Yes, I imagine you do."

He spooned behind her, his hand went to rest on the slight swell of her belly, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Truly?"

"Yes," she smiled at their little game.

He pulled the covers over them and kissed her shoulder, "Try to get some rest."

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Regina stared up at the ceiling, her body was covered in sweat and the coolness of the house made her shiver almost, "Wow."

Maleficent lay next to her, "Much better than last time."

"Want to do it again?"

"I'm getting too old for automatically doing it again," Maleficent muttered, "Give me two minutes."

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Emma wanted to sleep, but her room was right in between Belle's and Maleficents.

And neither were quiet.

"Really?" she asked and shoved her pillow over her head.

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Henry slept in a bedroom downstairs and didn't have to worry about hearing such things

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With Emma as her only option (Not that she would kick that out of bed, darling. She just preferred to know her partners better) , Cruella just went to the inn for that night.


	7. Chapter 7

Emma heard some rustling in the room next to her; she near Rumpelstiltskin was up and about. Emma knew she had little time in doing what she needed to do. He'd want to leave at the earliest possible time. Emma couldn't blame him. She understood. If they were going to go find Henry, she would want to leave too. She'd have wanted to leave last night.

But she felt like she had to do this. She was their daughter and though she was furious at them all, they at least needed to let them know that she was okay. That she was leaving.

Emma dressed, finished her packing and took it downstairs. She climbed in her car and went to her parent's house. There'd been tensions for some time. Her marrying Rumpelstiltskin had not gone well. With anyone. Her parents were least understanding. Emma did not marry for love, like they wanted. She married for plenty of other reasons, but not because of true love. She liked Rumple, she was fond of him; even loved him. It was just in her own way, like she felt for everyone. Not Henry though, she loved Henry like a mother should love her son.

Then she learned what they did to Maleficent's baby. Maleficent had never told her. Rumple had never told her. Her parents had. Emma hadn't understood why at first. But she learned later that Maleficent kept peace in the house, she did things on her terms. Telling Emma about what her parents did would disrupt that peace. It'd make Emma blame herself, like she had. It'd turn her against her parents, like it did. Therefore it wasn't her place.

And maybe that was part of several reasons why they didn't want her marrying Rumple.

Emma pulled her coat tighter as she walked up the stairs. She hesitated and then knocked on the door. She heard the footsteps on the other side. Her heart clenched and she fought tears as her mother answered the door, "Emma?" 

She wanted to forgive her right then…but she couldn't. She couldn't yet. What they'd done was horrible. It'd taken a child and set her on a path to destruction, much like Regina had done her. They'd taken a child from its mother with the reasoning that it was different, so it wasn't human. Because of her. She owed it to Maleficent not to forgive her parents easily. She owed it to Lily. Lily suffered because of them. Because of _her. _

Emma fought tears and steeled herself, "We're going to look for Lily."

"You've found her?" her mother asked with hope. That hit Emma worse. She thought maybe they would be scared or worried or angry. But she wasn't. Emma saw her father come to the doorway with her baby brother in his arms.

"I have a few leads, Maleficent did the…globe thing last night. You know, pricking her finger on the needle to see where she's at.," Emma said, "And Rumple and I are going to find her."

"When are you leaving?"

"In an hour or so."

Snow's face fell. Emma hadn't even told them when she knew, "Oh."

Emma shuffled, like she'd done something wrong, "I'd met her before. When I was growing up."

Both looked surprised but not all the way shocked. The way everyone had appeared related somehow, meeting each other in the past didn't seem all that new.

"I have to leave. I don't know when I'll get back but….when I get back, we're going to all sit down and have a nice long talk."

Snow nodded, "Okay"

"Yeah….," Emma turned and went to walk down the stairs

"Emma?"

She turned at her father's voice, "Yeah?"

"Be careful."

"I will."

"We love you," Snow whispered.

Emma fought tears and nodded, "I love you too."

She was just angry, and incredibly hurt. But that love didn't go away, in fact her love for them was why she was so hurt and angry.

She nodded her goodbye and walked down the stairs.

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Rumpelstiltskin had heard Emma leave while he was getting ready. Wherever she was going, he hoped she was getting breakfast; he didn't want to waste any time making it here.

"Will you be gone for a long time?" Henry asked, "I want to go with you."

"I don't know," Rumpelstiltskin told him, "Which is why you can't go. You have to stay here; you have to go to school….keep all the ladies behaved."

Henry smiled, "Keep them safe."

"No," Rumpelstiltskin straightened up and took on a more serious look, "Listen to me, the wives….your mothers if you will….can keep themselves safe just fine. You don't need to run around playing hero anymore, you're too young."

"I'm twelve."

"Too young."

"I've done heroic things before."

"I know," Rumpelstiltskin went to hug him against his chest. He'd been his father for ten years, he'd changed his diapers, fed him, rocked him to sleep, comforted him through nightmares…Mr. Gold might have been a cold smug man, but he'd loved his son, "And I hate that. You've lost too much of your childhood already. I want you to enjoy it while it lasts."

"But-."

"Trust someone that barely had a childhood," Rumpelstiltskin held his son's face. He tried not to think of him as his grandson also, it was just too odd, "Enjoy what little childhood you have left. It'll be gone before you know it, especially in this place. There's no rush into being an adult."

Bae had barely had a childhood too. That'd been his fault. He didn't want to rob Henry of his.

Regina walked down the stairs, he heard her before he saw her, he saw Maleficent with her and smirked. They'd been a bit vocal last night. Regina stopped as soon as she saw his smirk, "Rumple."

"Dears," he greeted, his smirk went wider at their faces, he gave Henry a bag to go put in the car. He waited until Henry was gone, "Did you two have fun?"

"Jealous?" Maleficent teased.

"Incredibly," he admitted.

"Perhaps we'll invite you one day," Regina kissed him good morning.

"How scandalous," He took on the high lilt that he used when he dealt with people in the Enchanted Forest.

"Like you don't secretly want us all in a bed having some gigantic…..sixsome," Regina whispered as Henry came in.

"That's not a secret!" he told them.

"Mom's back," Henry told them. Emma came behind him and ruffled his hair.

"Hey sweetheart," he gave Emma a kiss.

"I got breakfast."

"Oh thank gods," he held Henry close as Belle came down the stairs. She looked tired and a bit haggard. She was probably going to go to bed as soon as they left.

"Everything ready to go to the car?"

"Everything's in the car." 

"No…we're taking the bug," Emma told him.

"That's going to be a cramped ride.

"We're small, we'll be fine."

"But it's cramped," he continued. 

"And your car is a gas guzzler; we'll be broke before we leave Maine."

"That's an exaggeration," he told her.

"You so sure about that?" Emma asked.

"Positive."

"I like my car," Emma said like that solved it, "And I know the world out there soo…..we're taking my car."

"Fine," Rumple muttered, maybe she'd drive more and he could nap. If she didn't drive like a maniac.

"We should probably hit the road."

"Where's Cruella?" Maleficent asked.

"Saw her car parked at the inn," Emma said, "Guess Ursula's back for a bit or there was too much noise going on last night."

Rumple smirked again. So did Regina.

"I didn't hear anything," Henry said confused.

Emma blinked and blushed a bit, "Don't worry about it, come here kid."

She held him in a tight hug. Rumple turned to the three wives that were waiting.

"Don't take over Storybrooke while I'm gone," he told Regina and gave her a kiss.

"As if I haven't already," Regina muttered.

He moved to Belle and gave her a kiss. He felt her cling to his jacket. When he pulled away, he stroked her face, "Be careful. Do what Maleficent says when it comes to the baby. She knows."

"Okay."

He moved over to Maleficent. He wasn't sure what to say to her at first. Her eyes held such hope and such readiness for disappointment. He reached over to hold her. Maleficent returned the embrace and buried her face in his neck. He kissed her hair and held her for a few moments, "We'll find her. If anyone can do it, we can."

"I know," she told him.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She clung to him for a few more moments and reluctantly let him go

He stared in her eyes, "Call me if you need anything."

"I know."

"I'll call you when we find a hotel for the night."

"Okay."

He showed her the scroll, "This is how we'll get back in."

"Then I hope you don't lose it."

"I'll keep it on me," he promised.

"You know, if you're gone for too many days, we're going to have to redo the schedule."

"New schedule, new house….it'll be like starting all over again. With our family."

A tear slipped down her face, "Yes."

He brushed the tear away, "Make sure they all behave."

"I will."

"Don't let Cruella torment Belle too much."

"Don't I always?"

"Don't let Belle make too many references that go over Cruella's head and make her mad."

"I know. I've done this for a bit now."

He rested his forehead against hers, "I'd be lost without you." 

"Never forget that," she played the game they always played. It was something they'd told each other for years and it wasn't until she nearly lost him herself that she knew how much it meant.

He kissed her forehead and went to go to his son. He hugged him close, "Don't misbehave, and do as you're told."

"Okay."

"I'll talk to you tonight."

"I know."

He kissed the top of his head.

"Ready?" Emma asked as he walked over to her.

"Almost," he summoned something out of midair.

Emma looked sad as she saw it in his hands, "Oh."

"Yeah."

He put the cane in the backseat of the bug.


	8. Chapter 8

It took everything Cruella had to come back to the house knowing that two members of her protection squad were gone to go get a baby that she left to die.

It was hardly her fault, she was designed like that. That baby would've been luckier to die in the woods rather than be saddled with her for a mother figure. Ursula hadn't really forgiven her for that. It was part of the reason why she hadn't visited all that much.

So she hadn't gone home, she went straight to work and changed in her office. She kept a lot of clothes there. Some of her favorites, she didn't want any of the others sneaking in and making off with them. Emma definitely would. She knew Emma was the one pilfering her salads in the morning.

So she went to work, sat at her desk and stared at the blank computer. They didn't know how long Rumpelstiltskin was going to be gone. How long could she make excuses to stay away from the house? Maleficent hadn't forgiven her, and Regina would take Maleficent's side, she had the boy since he was a baby, she would identify with her more than anything.

And Belle was going to have a baby, she might not be on their side of either maiming Cruella or killing her, but Cruella could hardly expect her to take her side either.

So what to do?

The answer was simple she wasn't going back home. Not until her husband was home. Cruella knew that the only reason she was probably still alive was because Maleficent was asked not to kill her. Rumpelstiltskin had practically shunned her when he found out what she did as well, but he still made vows to her as a wife. He couldn't stand by and let her be killed. He wasn't that man.

Or if you believed the pirate, he wasn't that sort of man _anymore_.

And well, Emma just wanted everyone to get along. And she had the magic to back that up if she wanted to. So with her gone, and Belle as the only 'good' one there, Cruella was in trouble.

She could stay at the inn for a time…maybe sleep in the office if she had to. She had the clothes here, and she could drop them off at dry cleaning-.

Her plans were interrupted when she heard a knock at the door and looked up to see Maleficent standing at the door.

Crap, she never considered that Maleficent could come _here! _

"You didn't come home this morning," Maleficent noted and came into the office.

"I was there," Cruella said, "Didn't you see me?" 

Maleficent couldn't dragon up, could she? Not here.

"Rumpelstiltskin was disappointed that you weren't there." 

"No he wasn't," Cruella pecked at keys on the keyboard and pretended that she was busy, "He still hasn't forgiven me either."

"Well, what you did was unforgivable," Maleficent said levelly.

"Yet he wants forgiveness from his son."

"It's one unforgivable thing to let go of your teenage son," Maleficent told her, "It's another entirely unforgivable thing to leave a helpless baby rot in the woods because you were more concerned with getting the egg to look young instead of the baby."

Cruella hesitated, yeah, she supposed for normal people, which was a fair point, "Are you going to kill me, Maleficent?"

Maleficent glared her down in a way that could freeze even Cruella's blood, "I really want to."

"I've figured."

"But I won't. What'll that solve?" she sighed and leaned back, "It won't solve anything. IT won't fix the 29 years I Lost with my daughter and it makes me just as guilty as you if I kill you. So you have to live with it. You have to live with what you've done. You have to face up to how you nearly killed my daughter and betrayed both your husband and your wife."

"I wanted to save her darling. I went after them to get her back."

"But you left her to die in the woods," Maleficent snapped.

"I fell in the world and what did I Know about it?" Cruella asked, "I didn't know about phones, I didn't know about cars, I didn't know about the foster system, I didn't know about adoption being better than what it was in our world… and that kid was better off without me as its mother, you know that. You know what I've done. You know what I could do-."

"You can't kill anymore."

"That doesn't mean that I'm not dangerous in my own right to your child," Cruella told her with a slight bit of anger, "Cora never killed Regina either. But look at the damage that's been done. Do you want that for your baby?"

"No, I wanted to be there for my baby," Maleficent said, "But that didn't happen."

Cruella toyed with a pen; she wasn't used to this, one of the wives being soft around her. They were soft around Maleficent; they were soft around Belle…but never her. They were on their guard.

"I don't expect you to ever forgive me," Cruella said.

"Good," Maleficent said, "Because while I promised my husband I'll play nice, I'm not exactly on the side of the heroes. I don't forgive like Snow White does."

"No one forgives like Snow White does," Maleficent muttered, "Well…as long as you're human."

"Or her stepmother," Cruella muttered.

Maleficent smirked, "Yeah, so there's that."

Cruella leaned back, "So I can come home then?"

"Yeah," Maleficent allowed, "It's your home too. And no matter what you've done, we're your husband and wives."

"I'm not exactly welcome when I'm like this, you know. I wasn't made like this, I was born like this. That doesn't' exactly put me on the track for redemption."

Maleficent hesitated, "So then why did you stay? With us? Like the way we are the way you are."

Cruella mulled it over, "Because the last family I had had her dogs chase me down and lock me up in the attic when I…behaved badly. This family gives me the second best room in the house and accepts what I am, flaws and all. They might not like me, but I'd rather have that and be secure than alone and not again."

"I see."

"And the sex is great when we have it."

"I really don't want to know-."

"And you all need me with most of your fashion taste. You're okay, but Emma, Belle, Henry and Neal? They're almost lost causes. Someone has to do something. You all contribute to saving the world? I make you all look good while doing it."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yeah, can you deny it?"

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Belle had not stayed in the house for breakfast, like some of the others had. She had showered, dressed, and gone to the diner to get some comfort food. When she'd smelled bacon, she'd promptly left before even putting her order in.

It was less humiliating to vomit in the trashcan outside than in the one bathroom that echoed.

So she felt nauseous and spent half of it in the library bathroom, half of it trying to work.

She didn't want to be that clingy sort of wife, but between trips, she kept staring at her phone, waiting for a call.

It as a weekday, so maybe one or two people came in. Belle was alright with that, she was trying to get a decent connection to try and research things to help with the morning sickness.

The door opened for only the fourth time that day around noon. She looked up to see Regina there, "Oh…hey. Wh- what are you doing here?" 

"Heard about what happened in the diner this morning," Regina held up a bag, "Eat this."

"I'm not hungry." 

"You need to eat."

"It'll just come up again."

"Do I look like someone that would want to hear that?" Regina tossed the bag on the table, "I enchanted it with a potion."

Belle tensed, "What?"

"Relax, it won't hurt the baby," she sat down across from Belle, "Our husband used to give it to the pregnant women he used to deal with for their babies…when the morning sickness was bad." 

"Some women knew he wanted their firstborn?" 

"Some women lined up to give their firstborn, second born; ninethborn….it was a rough world out there. Not every family could afford to feed their kids. Not every woman _wanted _to feed her kids. Rumpelstiltskin made a great investment when he basically bought unwanted children."

Belle frowned and looked down. She loved both the light and dark parts of their husband. That hardly meant that she wanted to come face to face of what he used to be capable of.

She opened the bag and took out the salad, "This is Cruella's." 

"No it's not," Regina blatantly lied and then sighed, I'll replace it."

Belle took off the cover and speared the leaf with the fork, "How long do you think they'll be gone?"

"Who knows?" Regina asked, "They'll find her when they find her. Maleficent's blood on the globe got them a location. But convincing her is going to be different. How do you go up to someone and say 'Hi Lily, I'm your Foster Friend Forever and I'm here to take you to your mother that is also a dragon. Also here's your father, I'm married to him too.'"

"That…would…," she hesitated, "Be difficult."

"Difficult is an understatement," Regina took a drink of her coffee, "How do you explain that we're the way we are?" 

"The truth?"

"That the man Maleficent wanted to father her is married to five women? And we're not married because of religious reasons? Polygamy is not given a good light in this world. So not only do we have that to contend with, we have the fact that…well, we're from where we're from. So, who knows when they'll get home. Who knows what they'll have to tell her."

"IT's a mess," Belle muttered.

"It is," Regina agreed, "But we are what we are. And we have our differences and we have our flaws….but we're a family. And while that's been…very hard for me to accept in the past but slowly but surely I'm learning. But…no matter the things we've done…we're still a family. We just have to do our best not to make the same mistakes we made in the past."

"Is it hard?"

Regina looked like she hadn't realized she was talking out loud, "Yeah….but we'll be fine. There's a support system now. We have each other to lean on."

Belle chewed on her salad, "So you and Maleficent."

Regina tensed, "What about it?"

Belle shrugged, "Nothing just…wondering…what it was like…" 

Regina thought, "It's different than with a man…and the same…you don't want me to show you, do you?"

"What?! No!" Belle shook her head, "I don't like girls like that."

Regina smirked viciously, like she did when she was about to tease, "Because the offer's open…you don't have to be ashamed, we're married to each other too. We all took vows together"

"No!" Belle felt the heat climb to her face, much to Regina's delight, "You're making fun of me." 

"It's okay," Regina told her, "I don't mean anything by it."

Belle still blushed.

"Eat up," Regina gestured to the salad in front of her, "You need your strength. I'm told babies are draining. And I worked hard to make you that salad."

"You stole it from the fridge." 

"And that's hard work. A lot of people live in that house."

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"You take awful snapshots,"

Emma looked over at her husband with a scowl, "I didn't go to college for photography."

"Well good, you have many talents my dear, this isn't one of them," he tilted it and tried to get a better look, "I wish we could've just brought the globe. Things would be easier if magic worked out of the town."

"No it wouldn't," Emma said.

"In this case, it would be, it's hard to see when magic leaves its mark in the photo and I can't see."

"Then how is that my fault?" Emma asked.

"I've seen the rest of your photos."

Emma looked over with a glare, "I know you're nervous but don't take it out on me."

He looked ready to retort….but stopped and looked down, "Sorry. "'

"This is going to be weird for all of us."

"I know."

"Mostly her."

He gave a small smirk, "Probably."

"So what's the plan? Do we…bring the polygamy thing front and center? Because that's a big thing to drop."

"Probably not wise. We'll have a hard enough time getting her to believe in magic if she's anything like you." 

"Great. Thanks."

"I don't want to lie," he said, "But there are things that we should leave out. We should tell her that I'm her father and Maleficent's her mother….we'll call her Mal until we get her into town and then we'll…figure it out from there."

"Lying might not be best….we do that, and she'll want to run."

"What's your plan then?"

"I don't know," Emma pulled into the spot that the map on the blood globe showed. She'd glanced at it, sort of memorized it, but she'd taken the screenshot for good measure. For all the good it'd done her, "I need to know how she's like before we talk to her."

He nodded and let out a breath, "I've never had a daughter before."

Emma reached out to rub his shoulder. He put a hand over hers.

"Okay," Emma pulled into what looked like some sort of diner, "Let's just…do this."


	9. Chapter 9

When Emma had started thinking about Lily again, she thought that maybe Lily had somehow gotten her life turned around. That maybe she used her rich family to grow up, have a family maybe….go to college….

But as they walked into the gas station/diner, Emma realized that her hopes for the woman that had been her friend when they were kids hadn't had that. Either she lived here or she was relegated to eating here. None of which seemed all that appealing.

Rumpelstiltskin bristled, "I thought there was nothing worse than the cell your parents put me in." 

Emma smacked him, "Behave." 

"Do you see her?"

Emma looked around, "I don't know, it's been years since I saw her last."

He fidgeted, "What do we say to her?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out," Emma took his hand; "She'll have to come eventually, let's go sit down."

They found a table and sat, Emma faced the door, if anyone came in, she'd be the first to see them, Lily had to come eventually. Did she work here? Did she eat? Was she just passing through? Emma really hoped it wasn't' the latter. Maleficent kept using the blood globe to check in to see if she was in the same place and she was. It'd been hours. Who stayed in a place like this for hours if they didn't have to?

"I used to be a waitress," Emma said when she noticed that her husband was practically rigid in his seat.

He softened a bit, "You never told me that."

"It was when I got out of jail," Emma said, "Only place that would hire me was a place like this. Then a bail bondsman became a regular…gave me a chance. I was young back then…angry at what happened to me."

He flinched at that but she continued.

"He gave me a chance. He gave me several in fact, and…eventually, I shaped up, gained his trust, became his partner and then took his business when he passed." 

Rumpelstiltskin gave her a look that showed how proud he was of her; Emma felt herself blush a bit and rocked in her unstable chair.

"You know something?" he toyed with his cane, "I've never given you a decent honeymoon."

Emma tensed and looked down. She toyed with the laminated menu, "there was never time."

His face fell, he looked guilty, "I should, after Lily's settled in. I will."

"Did the other wives get honeymoons?"

"Yes," he gave a half smile, "Most of mine and Cruella's were spent in the garden surrounded by gin. She didn't mine."

"If I married her, I would get drunk too."

"You are married to her," he raised an eyebrow, "You're not just marrying me when you gave your vows, Emma. You also married-."

"To the four other wives, I know, it's just…not exactly what I'm used to."

He looked concerned, "I just want your happiness." 

"What if I never adjust?"

"Sometimes it just takes time," he offered, "Belle had it hard too. When one wife is the mistress of all evil and the other is Cruella? Poor Belle thought our marriage would be done by the first year. Then the curse broke and she had to contend with Regina."

"I must sound like a skipping record with this. I worry about adjusting in this family."

"I want you to come to me with your problems."

"I know."

He hesitated at the next words, "Are you happy?"

Emma took a moment to think about it. IT wasn't as if it was bad, it was just weird. Emma hadn't ever thought she'd be married to five people at one time; it was still a lot to figure out. It was a lot to think about knowing the family connections she was married to. Her son's grandfather and her son's adopted mother. Both the reasons why she grew up alone, and now they were all in a marriage.

But they were trying, given a chance like she was and they were trying to be better. And there was a support, a weird sort of support that Emma never had. There was no pressure to be a perfect wife. There was no pressure to be everything; a wife, a mother, a career woman. There was help where she fell short.

She was still trying to find her niche but she still had a family. That…at least liked her and wanted her safe.

And she WAS safe. And so was her son.

"Yeah," she said after thinking about it, "I'm happy." 

He gave a relieved beaming smile and went to kiss her hand. Emma gave him a wicked little smile, "We can always go back to the car while we wait."

"Behave," he said while blushing a bit, "The waitress is coming."

"Sorry about the wait," the dark headed waitress came out with her pencil and little sketchpad, "The cook is…whatever…what can I get for you?"

"Emma," her husband reached under the table and put his hand on her leg. Emma didn't need it, she saw it too. The star birthmark on the woman's wrist.

Emma looked up, she changed over the years, she hardly recognized her friend. She looked tired, hardened even. She had the same look that Emma had years ago before she found her son, before she found her family.

Her name; Starla. Hilarious.

"Lily?"

Lily froze, her hand poised on the paper, "Do I know you?"

It occurred to Emma that she hadn't thought of what she should tell Lily, nothing had seemed right. Nothing seemed fitting, "It's me, Emma." 

The woman's eyes widened in surprise just or a moment. Emma looked over to her husband who was staring at Lily like she was his entire world in that moment.

"Emma…what are you doing here?"

"I'm uh…," she looked to Rumple again for help but he was too busy memorizing his daughter's face, "I'm here to take you back to your mom."

Lily's face fell.

Yeah, that was the wrong thing to say

Emma didn't realize that Lily would walk so fast out the door and it took her a moment to register before she got up as well.

"Emma," Rumpelstiltskin called, she heard the worry in his voice.

She cleared the doorway and followed her friend, "Lily, wait."

Lily turned around sharply, "That was a terrible joke."

"It's not a joke," Emma told her, "I've met your mother. She asked me to come find you."

"Of all the people in the world, how could you just have met my mother and knew it was her?"

"It's a long story, but please, I'm going to take you to her."

"Why isn't she here?"

Emma searched for the right thing to say, "She…..has a condition. She can't leave town."

Lily rolled her eyes and ran her hand through her hair, "So you just happened to…what? Stalk me? How did you even know I was here? No one knows I'm here."

"I…sort of find people, it's what I do," Emma stepped forward and watched as Lily stepped back, "That man in there? He's your father. He's come to bring you back."

"The guy you were getting close with?"

Crap. She saw that.

"Yeah, your mom and I sort of share him, it's complicated."

"Real classy."

Emma needed to change tactics, this obviously wasn't going well, "Do you remember when we first met? You felt like it was fate somehow?"

Lily stared at her and tried to smile, "That's something teenage girls say to each other then braid each other's hair."

"What if it's not? What if it's more than that? I know it's hard to believe and it's weird….seeing the man you would've called your father and me like that. I know it's weird that your mother isn't here. But I'll explain it; you just need to come with me."

Lily scoffed and went to walk off.

Emma followed, "You're living out in the middle of nowhere under an assumed name. I can help you."

"I don't need your help, and my life is great, thank you very much. I have an amazing daughter. And a loving husband. The last thing I need is for you to come in and blow it apart again, so…if you'll excuse me," she turned to the school bus that just pulled up, "It's my daughter's bus."

Emma stood there for a moment and then looked to see Rumple hanging back. She saw the disappointment on his face and she went to take his hand, "We knew it wasn't going to be easy."

"She has a daughter?" he whispered and watched as the girl was led away, "I have a granddaughter? "

Emma couldn't ignore that feeling in her stomach, one that she knew all the time when she was a bailbondsperson and someone was lying, "I don't think so."

His face fell, "What?"

"I think she's lying."

"How would you know?"

Emma shrugged, "My superpower."

She expected him to doubt it, like most everyone did. They told her it wasn't always accurate and it wasn't. But she needed him to believe her at this point, she needed someone to believe her, "Why would she lie about that?"

"I don't know, but she was lying, she always has, why should now be any different?" Emma said and went to go back into the restaurant, "I'm going to go check something out."

He waited for a moment, "And whose kid is that?"

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The cook was out smoking in the back, so Emma found it really easy to steal Lily's timecard and get her address. It wouldn't be bad, it wouldn't cost Lily anything. She wouldn't be coming back, and if she did, Emma would just slip her the time card and apologize. Hey, it wouldn't be a surprise, they were both thieves.

The ride to the house was quiet. Rumple stared at the phone in his hands, he was contemplating calling Maleficent. He would go to press her number on the speed dial, then draw back. She didn't say anything. How could she?

Lily might not come back with them. Emma had known it might happen but she hadn't prepared herself for it.

She reached over and took her husband's hand. He squeezed it and looked at her, "Emma?"

"What?"

"I'm very very sorry for what I did to you…to get Bae back."

Emma stared ahead, kept her eyes on the road. There was a part of her still very angry at what she'd been through. He sacrificed her for finding Bae. Emma didn't know if that would ever go away. But if she clung to that, what would she be? She held onto that anger for 28 years. While she had every reason to be angry, what would she personally do in order to reunite with Henry again if they were separated?

She could hold onto it, or she could let go and accept that he was truly sorry for what he did.

Emma drew in a breath, "I forgive you."

He let out a relieved breath and brought her hand to his lips. She felt the tears hit the back of her hand, "Lets get our daughter."

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Emma was pretty sure she lost out years back because when she was a waitress, because the place that she'd been able to afford was almost the size of a closet compared to this.

Emma looked around, not moving far from the lock she picked. Her husband moved into the room behind her, he memorized everything in the living room, "Not a bad place."

"No, patrons of Coffee Mug must tip real well," Emma muttered and gestured around the room, "No evidence of a kid; no sign of a husband…looks like I was right"

She saw the disappointment on his face, "So she was alone then. And she still wants to remain so."

"Well, you can't blame her for running off, imagine how it'll be when we tell her she was Maleficent daughter," Emma moved down the hallway and peeked into a room. Simple bathroom. Nothing there.

"It'll be difficult," he allowed and went past her to the bedroom

"Remember how hard it was for me, and that was in Storybrooke. For her, it's not going to be as simple."

"Emma," she heard his voice.

"What?" Emma went to follow him. He went to try and block her so that she wouldn't have to see.

But she did. There was a map of Maine on the wall; Storybrooke was written in red on it while there were several arrows along the coastline trying to pinpoint its location. Emma saw printouts of paintings and other artwork with post-its identifying different fairy tale characters. There was a red x on both her parents' faces.

There was a Polaroid of her. Next to her photo there was a fingerprint sheet; Emma wasn't sure where she got that, she wasn't sure she wanted to know

"She knew everything, she wants revenge," a cold feeling gripped Emma's chest.

Outside, Emma heard her car start up. She turned to the door, "Really?"

She raced out the door, her husband wasn't far behind; he stumbled once. Emma stopped to help him.

"I'm fine, go get her. I'll catch up."

"I can't leave you."

"The scroll was in the car."

Emma froze, then went to help him get up. She rushed out the door and down the ramp, "LILY!"

She didn't take time to process what was happening. She went to the toolbox that was next to a teal car and slammed it against the window. There was a blur and her husband was next to her. She didn't know how he got out so fast but he opened the passenger door and slipped in.

"Your leg is going to regret that later," Emma said and pressed the gas.

"I don't care about that," he whispered.

"She's not getting to my family," Emma said angrily.

"I know."

"If she does, if she wants revenge, I can't let her into town, Rumple. I can't do that; I can't put our family through that."

"Don't talk about that just yet," Rumple scolded, "We need some time to figure things out."

"I can't not think about it," She snapped, "She had my darkness shoved on her, she told me that everything good she does backfires. You saw that wall; I can't let her destroy my family. She already did that one time."

"Maybe we could talk her down, maybe we could… I don't know…Emma; don't set your mind against her yet."

"Every time we let in someone that wants to hurt us, it almost always backfires," she looked over to him, "I finally have a family, more family than I know what to do with. I'm not losing any of you and I WON'T let in a threat that wants to kill my parents.""

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It was a quick chase, Emma found her easily enough, Lily would know the route towards the places she'd narrowed down for Storybrooke. The roads were empty, thank God. Because Lily tried to swerve to keep her from getting in front. Emma finally got ahead of her, and blocked her off.

Rumpelstiltskin looked like he was going to be sick from the way the car swerved to cut Lily off.

Lily pulled herself out of the car. Emma followed and broke into a jog as Lily started to walk away, "Hey! Hey."

She got in front her, she was angry, this woman had ruined her chances with one family, now she was going to destroy the one Emma had been searching for her whole life, "You know! You know everything. Did you know when we were kids?"

"Or course not," Lily said. It was the truth, "But after, yeah, I learned it all."

That was….baffling, how many people made it here without needing the curse, "

"Does it really matter?" Lily demanded, "It doesn't' change anything. You screwed me over before we were even born."

How did that logic even make sense? Her parents only just found out about her when they did what they did, Emma had no choice in it all, "I had no more say in it than you did."

"Well your parents did," Lily said, seething, "And when I get to Storybrooke, I'm going-."

Emma lashed out before she could even think, she shoved Lily backwards "You lay a hand on them and I end you!"

"Emma!" Rumple called.

Emma ignored him; she was more focused on the threat getting up, "Yeah? How are you going to do that without your magic, savior?"

Lily punched her. Emma stumbled back. She heard a clap of thunder. She ignored it; this would be done soon enough.

"Your parents were monsters," Lily taunted, "They banished me and threw you into a wardrobe. And here you are ready to die for them, because you're so perfect."

"Oh that's hilarious coming from you, knowing where I've been and what my life was like. I had to fight for what I had. For years. You think everything was just handed to me? You think it was easy? It's never been easy! You think my own life eased up when I got my parents back? It didn't!"

"I'm going to Storybrooke," Lily told her, "And there's only one way you're going to stop me."

Emma grabbed her and shoved her back down again.

"EMMA!" Rumpelstiltskin grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Let me go," Emma jerked away

"Emma, let me handle this."

"Rumple, she wants to-."

"Emma," he whispered, "Let me try."

Emma rolled her eyes and walked away, but her mind was made up. If nothing was resolved, Lily wasn't coming to Storybrooke, that was the end of it.

Because the revenge cycle would keep going and she was breaking it. She was ending it now.

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Rumpelstiltskin knew what anger was like, the sort that Emma had had, and that Lily still had. He knew all those years ago how it felt to have every good thing you tried to do backfire on you so that the darkness was the most effective way to get things done. He looked at his daughter, sitting on a construction pipe and he saw himself. He saw his wives in her. All outcasts in their own right. Most were toeing the line every day from good to bad.

And he saw fear that came with the anger. The bitterness. He wanted to help her; he knew that he could if he was just giving that time. He wanted her home; he wanted the family to be together and NOT killing each other.

He stood in front of her, "May I sit?"

"You're going to do what you want anyway," Lily said.

HE gave a smile and sat next to her, "Well, this has been quite a day."

She looked over at him, "Let me guess, that _Rumple _that Emma called you is _Rumpelstiltskin._"

"Yes, but don't hold it against me."

She scoffed and looked down, "Are you really my father?"

"Not by blood," he told her honestly, "So you don' have to worry about that. But….that doesn't matter to me. I hope it doesn't' matter to you."

Lily scoffed and played with the pendant around her neck

He couldn't take his eyes off her, his daughter was right here next to him and he was afraid that if he looked away, he'd forget what she looked like "You know…when we got here, we thought you were dead. Your mother mourned you, I mourned you…it wasn't until…certain things suddenly came to light that we knew the truth. Otherwise we'd have found you a lot sooner."

"And you two are a thing?" she glared in the direction of Emma.

"It's…complicated. Your mother and I have a very…open relationship. It's not like this world is used to. I'm going to be honest now, I have five wives. Emma's one and your mother is one."

Lily scooted away slightly, "Like some weird cult pervert." 

"No, not a cult pervert," he told her gently, "But what we have, it works for us. I just don't want you to be surprised when you get home and find out that way. You have a brother; HE's maybe a bit older than you. You have an adopted bother who is also….your nephew….that one's a long story."

Lily looked over, he was rambling and he stopped, "Lily, I know what it's like to have a darkness forced on you. I know what it's like to have every good decision you ever tried backfire. I know what it's like to have darkness inside that tempts you, that tells you that it'll be easier."

"Are you going to convince me that I should give up my roaring rampage of revenge?"

"I think….that when you were taken from us; I had already lost a son to this world as well, centuries ago. And so coming to this world didn't just mean getting him back, it was about seeing what happened to you and seeing if you were alive. And I think we want to get to know you. And I think…that yes, it's time to stop this cycle of revenge. Too many people have gotten hurt and ruined. Take it from me, for myself and those that I've seen over the centuries, revenge doesn't' make you feel better. But if you come with us…you'll have your family back. You'll have us who want you…and we want to help you."

Lily stared down at the pendant again

"Come along," He stood up and held his hand out, "Your mother is waiting."

He watched Lily's conflict, the wheels turning in her head. She sighed and took his hand.

He saw his wife tense as they drew close. Lily glanced at her and went to go to the backseat of the car, "So she's coming."

"Yes," he told her

Her jaw clenched, "And if she goes after my parents?"

"We'll stop her."

Emma was shaking; he knew this was hard, he knew the prospect of losing them again was something that she struggled with every day, "What if you don't?"

"We will, but I don't think she'll come after revenge. She's not stupid; she knows what's in her best interest."

"I just hope her best interest is why she wants to go," Emma told him and went to her side of the car.


	10. Chapter 10

It was quiet and tense on the ride home. Lily sat in the back with a small bag full of the things that she couldn't leave behind. Emma stared at the bag; it was smaller amount than the stuff that she had brought with her when she'd gone to Storybrooke herself.

Lily glared out the window like she held a grudge on the world. Emma tried to keep her eyes on the road. She couldn't shake that this might be a bad idea, Lily was still angry; the people that she was going to call her parents were strangers to her. Emma knew how that felt, she knew about that anger. That fear and mistrust that came with the questions about why she was given up. That question if maybe there could have been another alternative, could their parents have kept them? 

And even when the logic was set in, and she knew that they'd made the ONLY decision they could, that anger didn't go away. Feelings weren't logical, but they hurt and that didn't just disappear when you learned how much your family loved you.

They passed the town border, Rumple held out the scroll so they could get in no problem. Emma looked over at him as he fidgeted. He must have questions for Lily. He and Maleficent would want to know about her life. But Emma knew from personal experience that Lily would want to avoid that. She wouldn't feel comfortable with these strangers that lost her as a baby.

Rumpelstiltskin had texted ahead when they were coming back. They were going to meet in front of the diner, Mal and Rumple were going to get to know their daughter…and the other wives were going to be eased into everything.

This might be a long afternoon.

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Maleficent had thought that they might be gone for days at least, trying to convince her to come with them; That Rumple was her father, that a magical town of fairy tales existed and she was as good as a lost princess…..

But it hadn't taken days, they were coming back, Mal was confused at why it was so easy. Rumple hadn't really gone into detail on his text. He told her that he'd explain everything to her when they got back. He didn't feel that it was something they talked about on the phone. He just said one thing other than they were heading back.

_She looks like you_

Maleficent stood there with the others. The whole family had turned up. The other wives, Baelfire, Henry….though her comfort levels at this plummeted when she saw the Charmings mingling a bit away from everyone.

"They have a lot of bloody nerve," Cruella hissed and looked over, "And this is coming from me, who also knows I have a lot of bloody nerve saying it."

They stood in awkward silence together as they waited. Finally after what felt like an eternity, that familiar yellow bug pulled down the street. Maleficent went to grab Regina's hand. Regina tightened the grip as the car pulled up in front of them.

Rumpelstiltskin got out first; he went to open the back door. A brunette stood up. Maleficent stumbled for a second as she memorized her face. It was harsh, angry; she looked older than what she should. Like her life was so much harder than what it should have been.

Maleficent made such a point of not glaring over to the Charmings at what they took from her. Lily looked over though, Maleficent saw the anger in her eyes, the bitterness of what her life had given her. Maleficent knew that one very well.

29 years, she lost 29 years with her baby that she would never get back.

She didn't want to waste any more.

"Maleficent," Emma came up to the other side of Lily, "This is Lilith, your daughter."

Maleficent was careful not to embrace her. Lily was giving the aura that she didn't want physical contact. She was already uncomfortable at the amount of people crowding her.

"This is Baelfire, he's your brother," Rumpelstiltskin nodded to his own son, who looked more awkward than anyone there, "Henry, he's both your brother and your nephew….that…we'll explain that one later. And these are my wives; Cruella, Belle, and Regina."

Lily blinked, "The Evil Queen."

Regina narrowed her eyes, "Yes, we're quite the group of misfits."

Henry watched her carefully, "Can you really turn into a dragon."

"Let's not overwhelm her just yet, buddy," Baelfire said.

"Let's get something to eat instead," Maleficent told them, "We….reserved the diner for the day. Let's just relax and talk."

"What about them?" Lily gave a death glare to the Charmings.

"Lily," Snow started, "Lily, we just wanted to say how sorry we were that we did what we did."

"Which thing," Lily demanded, "You forcing your daughter's darkness on me, stealing me from my mother, or ensuring that I was separated from her all my life?"

"Maybe we should just go inside," Emma started.

"You falling through that portal was an accident," Snow pleaded.

"Everything else wasn't," She said.

"That's enough," Emma raised her voice, "Just….you guys go inside. I need to talk to my parents."

There was some standing around, but everyone reluctantly started towards the diner. Maleficent hung back, a little aways from them so Emma could have her privacy. She was quiet as she talked to them, they started to argue, but Emma was firm and finally they started to go. Emma watched them leave, turned around, and stopped when she saw her, "You heard all that."

"I didn't hear anything," Maleficent told her honestly, "I gave you your privacy. I take it you're not an advocate of them joining us?"

"Figure it's probably not best to put them in the same room with a mother and daughter dragon duo, one of which wants her revenge and can't control her power just yet," Emma looked back towards them and then looked at Maleficent, "I know you just got your daughter back and I know you want to spend every waking moment you have with her, but I want to know something.

"Alright."

"Lily wants her revenge. It was….I was very reluctant to bring her over the border because she was threatening my parents. Do I have to worry about…you wanting that too now that you have her?"

It was an honest worry, an understandable question. And years ago, Maleficent might have given Emma reason to be scared that something would happen. But she had grown now, she liked to think. And she had an example to be to the other wives and to her daughter, "I think…..they already paid a great price. They lost their daughter almost as long as I lost mine. I'd say that justice is served. I'd say that since you gave me her back, I'll do what I can to make sure your parents live in peace"

Emma looked so relieved and Maleficent could say that after all this, it'd been the first time that she found Emma attractive. Before, Maleficent thought Emma too young. She was 28 while most of them were older. She'd understood why Rumple would want to marry her though, who wouldn't want to marry the savior? Especially one as conventionally pretty as Emma was. But Maleficent thought she was too closed off at first, too impulsive, and the relationship with Baelfire and then his father was hard for her to get past, she'd realized.

But she'd found herself softening to Emma without even realizing it. Because with Emma, there was a desire to make this whole thing work. To have a functional marriage with what hits world called plural partners was a hard thing but Emma was determined to make it work. Maybe not just for Henry's sake, though that was part of it, but because she genuinely wanted to be a part of it and make it work.

Maleficent…was peculiar about her attraction to women. She, like Regina, leaned towards men but she was open minded. She just didn't find many women attractive. Regina had been different at the time. Regina was different _now._ But the other wives, she found herself drawn to as well. They were strong women in their own right, and she considered herself married to any of them as she did the husband they shared. She certainly wouldn't kick them out of bed if they were open to it.

Cruella might be a bit towards a fling more than an actual relationship though. They were on their way to forgiveness, but she wasn't ready yet.

But she'd worry about that later, she had her daughter to focus on and she stayed behind for Emma's assessment, "Tell me about her."

Emma hesitated, "Rumple could give you a better review than I could, I imagine." 

"He loves his kids no matter what, he's hardly unbiased."

"Neither am I."

"You're less so. I want to hear what you have to say."

Emma hesitated, "She's angry. I know that'll be expected but it's different than all that, She knew about all of this, about all of us."

Maleficent blinked, that was unexpected, "How?"

"I have no idea, she hasn't divulged that yet." 

"What do I do then?" Maleficent asked, "I don't want her to think I'm too cold if I don't act affectionate and I don't want her to think I'm too soft if I do what I want to do and hold her. What did you want?"

She didn't like looking this weak in front of Emma, Emma was the youngest wife, but Maleficent needed to know what she was getting into. IF it was anyone that would know, it was Emma.

"I'm not sure there was anything my parents could've done that would've been considered okay right after they woke up. That anger just….it's there, it takes time. My advice would be to ease her into it, and don't get upset when she lashes out. This is a complicated situation and it takes time." 

Maleficent nodded, she imagined it would be easier said than done though, "Alright."

Emma sighed, "Let's get to it then."


	11. Chapter 11

Maleficent was so nervous that her hands were sweating constantly as she sat across from her daughter. She could tell it affected Rumple by how often he was removing his hand from hers and wiping the palm of his hand on his pant leg.

She couldn't take her eyes off Lily. She was alive. Her daughter was alive and safe, and she was so beautiful, she looked like her.

But she also looked tired and angry. They sat in silence for a few moments before Maleficent finally spoke, "You're so beautiful. "

Lily heisted and Maleficent realized how ridiculous that must sound to a fully grown woman who was virtually a stranger.

"Sorry," she started, "Just….you are, that's all."

Lily sighed and looked at both her parents, "So how are we gonna get revenge on Snow White and Prince Charming?"

Maleficent felt her husband jerk a bit, she saw his eyes harden,"We're not."

Lily glared and Maleficent wanted to try and more different approach, "Now that I see you….I don't want to waste our time on revenge."

Lily tensed and drew back, Maleficent continued, "I understand why you want it! It's suddenly so clear we should only look forward."

"Seriously?" Lily demanded, "We're going to let them get away with this?"

"They didn't," Rumpelstiltskin told her gently but firmly, "They lost their daughter the same way we lost you. They're Emma's parents, Lily. Would you take them away from her knowing the pain both of you have gone through at being separated? Would you feel alright with someone getting revenge on us for what we've done and removing us from your life?"

"I don't care; you're not my real father."

He jerked back on that. Maleficent gripped his hand, "We can be happy in the future or we can be angry about the past."

"Let's do both."

"That never works out, dear," Rumpelstiltskin told her, "Regina tried for decades and the only thing it got her was a dark heart. You cannot live bitterly in your past and expect to find happiness in the future."

Lily pressed her hands against the table, "Ever since I found out all those years ago what happened, I've been trying to figure out how…two humans…could get me away from a freaking dragon."

"That's enough," Rumpelstiltskin warned her. Maleficent felt her heat break. It'd been a question she'd asked herself countless times after it happened. She'd sobbed the question into her husband's arms as he comforted her.

"But now I get it, you're a pushover." Lily mocked, "What'd they do, rub your belly? Give you a dragon treat?"

"I said that's enough!" Rumpelstiltskin said more angrily. Maleficent was aware that the family was looking now. All of them, they were looking.

"Lily," Maleficent begged, "No. I did everything I could. But all I want to do now is enjoy our time together. I am your mother."

"Well I'm grown up now," Lily said, "I don't need grooming advice from Annie Hall."

Maleficent fought tears; she didn't need to look at Rumple to know how hurt and pissed he was.

Lily slid out of the booth, "I gotta go."

Maleficent followed, "Wait, wait. Please. If you leave town, if you get out, you can't get back in. I can't leave at all. I'll crumble back into the dust that I was before I was revived."

"Man, that's a bummer," Lily tried to turn again.

"Please," Lily stopped her, "Can't you just wait a little longer? Things could look different in a week."

"Sent me a postcard," Lily said and turned to walk out the door.

Maleficent stood there, stunned, "I tried…everything I could to save her."

She felt her husband go to hold her. She turned to wrap her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"I know you did," he whispered, "She's just angry."

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Regina was sitting with Henry when they heard the outburst, Henry had been trying to convince his mother to let him have gravy and fries but she wasn't budging on the subject. He needed something healthy after eating school food all day.

Then Lily had her…tantrum, the others all heard it. Maleficent's devastation broke her heart. She knew what it was like to be rejected. She still felt some betrayal as Henry brought Emma to town, though now she was beginning to understand why he needed to. For both of them.

"Well, that was ridiculous," Cruella plopped next to Henry, "I'd have boxed her ears if she talked to me like that."

"Like you're an authority on respecting your mother," Regina snarled.

"My mother had it coming. She locked me in the attic and never let me achieve my full dreams!"

"Could you not talk about such things in front of my son, please?" Regina demanded.

"Why not? He should know how to follow his dreams, no matter whom and what my prevent him or discourage him from doing so!"

"Go play the jukebox!" Regina snapped. Cruella pouted and stood up to go do just that.

Henry was confused, "What's wrong with following my dreams?"

"You should follow your dreams," Regina muttered and looked over to Cruella, "SHE shouldn't."

"Why?"

"Ask me again when you're older."

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"Dad looks pissed."

When Lily had grown angry; Emma, Neal, and Belle were sitting there in the corner of the bar talking amongst themselves. Emma waited quietly; she knew this might happen, just….not this badly. And it shocked her; when she had her parents and the curse broke, she was uncomfortable. She didn't know what to do or how to respond, that anger didn't just disappear. But she never outright rejected them that cruelly or harshly. Was that Lily's own anger or the darkness?

"Of course he would with what she was saying."

Neal sighed, "He never even looked that pissed when I refused to forgive him in Manhattan."

"You weren't disrespecting your mother either," Emma bit the inside of her cheek. She shouldn't interfere, she should let them work it out like she and her mother had been able to do. But Lily was darker….apparently. And she was angrier. She could turn into a dragon and her parents were out there.

And Emma knew some of what Lily was going through.

"I'm going to go talk to her," Emma grabbed her coat.

"What?" Neal asked.

"Maybe I can help."

Neal looked at the others talking amongst themselves, "I'll go with you."

Emma wanted to refuse; she was used to handling this stuff on her own. But she had to admit that backup seemed appealing, and he was in the same position Lily was; children of the dark one. A position that she didn't identify with because, well, she most certainly wasn't in that position

"Okay, let's go."

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They didn't have to go far; Emma found her sitting at the bus stop down the street. Emma thought for sure they'd have to chase her out of town, and she hadn't been looking forward to yet another car chase today.

She leaned on the cover for the stop, "Buses are pretty much not a thing here."

"Don't you have a pervy husband to go bang or are you waiting in line?"

"You going to end your tantrum anytime soon? It's tedious already."

"Oo, that's a big word."

"If you're going to hold your breath, you'll pass out and you still won't get anything you want."

"Emma," Neal said quietly.

Emma sighed and went to plop next to Lily, "This looks familiar."

Lily managed a slight smile, "Last time we met."

"Yeah."

Lily toyed with the necklace, "You can't expect me to stay here and play house with a woman that let me get taken by two humans and the man that she chose to pretend to be my dad."

"Why not?" Emma looked at her, "You can't blame your mother for what happened. She had just gotten done popping out a giant egg. Do you want to know how hard that is? I've only popped out a kid and I was sore for days. I wouldn't have been able to protect my kid if someone stole him away from me."

"She had magic."

"Magic that could've gotten you hurt if she used it," Emma looked down and sighed, "When your mother was…brought back for lack of better term, she didn't stop looking for you. Rumpelstiltskin never stopped looking for you as soon as he remembered. You had a mom that never stopped trying to get you back and a father that willingly picked you. Not even I had that."

"My last father that willingly picked me raised me enough and then kicked me out when I got too troublesome."

"Yeah well difference between that dad and Rumple is that maybe he loves a little too much instead of not enough," Neal muttered.

Lily narrowed her eyes, "Why are YOU here?"

"Because you two aren't the only ones screwed over by certain forces. And I'm your brother, I was worried."

"You're not my brother and I don't know you."

"Well that last part is right, but that first part? Not so much. He may not be your biological father but he was going to be the one to raise and love you. So while you may not think of us as related, I do."

"Your family is way too screwed up," Lily muttered.

"Tell me about it, you're just scratching the surface."

"We're not asking you to accept us all right away," Emma told her, "But at least stay, for your mother. At least get to know her. You still have that necklace, she's still important to you"

Lily clutched the necklace, "She's not what I expected."

"Mine weren't either. But is that a bad thing?"

"Given what yours did to me?" Lily snapped.

"I'm not apologizing for them, Emma whispered, "But better or worse, they are my family. And I love them dearly."

"You can't expect me to forgive them for what they did."

"I don't. But does that mean they have to die? Does that mean that you have to orphan my brother?"

"What choice is there with what I am? With what they forced on me?"

"There's always a choice, you just….have to try harder."

"I've tried hard enough. It never gets me anywhere."

"And now you could have a support system dedicated to helping you," Emma told her, "Rumple, Maleficent, Regina, Cruella…they understand better than anyone what it means to…have a difficult time even when you're doing the right thing."

Lily heisted, "He won't….try to make me into wife number six, will he?"

"Nah, he thinks of you as a daughter, not a potential date. And the others made him swear off anymore wives after me."

"Well, I won't live in that house," Lily said.

"Fine," Emma took that as a win, "We'll get you a room in the inn."

Neal looked relieved, Emma stood up to walk them both to the inn, "You're a good person, Emma. Not many would go above and beyond like you do to keep this family together."

"We just got our family intact," Emma told him, "I can't let it crumble."

"Do you think she'll talk to Maleficent again?"

"Doubtful, let her cool down," Emma glanced back, "We both know how meeting parents we haven't seen in decades or centuries raises defenses, let's not put Mal through that again."

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The evening came faster than what Rumple would've liked, Lily didn't come back in the diner. He had taken Maleficent home with the others and that's where they stayed until Emma came back with Bae and told them they'd talked Lily into staying.

"She shouldn't have talked to Maleficent that way," Cruella told him as they got ready for bed. "

He'd been furious for most of the evening. Perhaps Emma's parents deserved Lily's anger but not Maleficent. Lily didn't understand that Maleficent did whatever necessary to keep this family together and as peaceful as possible. That certainly wouldn't happen if Emma's parents were killed.

And to be so disrespectful to her own mother….he just didn't understand it.

"No, she shouldn't have," he agreed. He watched as Cruella crawled into bed next to him. Things were still tense. There had always been ups and downs with them but what she'd done to Lily was hard to forgive. He needed to, she was his wife and he loved her, but sometimes it proved hard. She was different than the others; they were all different in their own way. They were all outcasts that just came together and slowly formed into a family. But Cruella was different. Cruella had no want to be better, and she very well couldn't. She was wired differently from all the others, she didn't have it in her.

Though nothing had exactly changed in their bedroom activities because of it. Their sex life had always been practically non-existent. Maybe once or twice a year. Cruella much preferred talking and dancing. And she could prove to be intellectual and entertaining when she wanted to be. And that passion she showed for living life was why he loved her.

But sometimes her decisions….

He lay down and turned off the light, it'd been such a long day.

"Your leg hurt?"

"Yeah, but mostly its phantom pains now that I got back into town."

"I used to think I did right in not being the one to raise that kid," Cruella said after a moment of silence, "I thought she'd be better off dead than even in an orphanage when I left her. You know how those were in my world. No matter what, I used to think she was better off than with me. Then I saw Mal's face when she threw her fit and I realized at the very least I'd have raised her knowing her mother could love her and give her what I never could."

"It's a nice dream."

"You don't think it'd be better?"

He sighed, there was no point in arguing, he didn't know how Lily would turn out if Cruella raised her. She'd probably have issues different than the ones she already had, "It's better not dwelling in 'what if', it just usually makes you feel worse."

"Most days I don't feel anything I should."

He reached over to rub her back, "That's just who you are"

"Yeah," Cruella stared at the wall, "Maybe one day I'll find out why."

"Maybe," he moved closer and held her, "But we accept you no matter what you do."

"You're the only ones who have."

"Ursula will come back and forgive you." He told her, "If Maleficent and I can, then she can."

Cruella turned to look at her, "Are you going to tell Lily what I did? That I Left her?"

"No," he told her, "She doesn't' need to know everything. She lives in the past too much as it is. We don't need to give her even more reason."

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Maleficent hadn't gone to her room to go to bed like she'd wanted to, it'd been a long day and she was tired but she was also awake. Her daughter could leave at any time, that was something that stuck with her and made her too scared to go to sleep. She didn't want to wake up to hear Lily was gone.

And she wanted to spend some time with Emma.

Emma was also tired, but she confessed she couldn't sleep. So they sat there watching the still town on the window seat of Emma's room.

"You tried to warn me, I guess," Maleficent admitted, "And I still wasn't' ready."

"No one could be ready for that," Emma told her, "Even I wasn't ready for that and I understood some of her anger."

"Do you think she'll go after your family?"

"I hope not. I don't want to have to stop her. She's sort of my daughter too I guess….though I have to say I never thought my first daughter would be the same age as me."

Maleficent hesitated and gave a small laugh, "That is true."

Emma laughed and propped her elbow up on the open window and leaned on it, "On Mal, I have to admit this was not where I saw myself going in my life."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Good I think."

"I'm glad," she bit her lip, "I can never repay you for what you've done for me…for Lily."

Emma looked back out the window, "I can't help but feel it's my fault still. I know I had no say in it….but it's something I feel."

"Oh Emma," Maleficent reached out to take her hand.

Emma squeezed her hand back and noticed that Maleficent moved closer, "Did you just come in here to thank me? Or…._thank _me?"

Maleficent gave a small knowing smile, "That's up to you. I was conflicted. I enjoy the time we've spent but I also wanted to find a way to suggest it but nothing was coming up. I can understand if you're uneasy. I didn't even consider it until today and after your actions in getting my daughter when I couldn't, I found you beautiful."

Sly minx.

Emma didn't pull her hand away from Maleficent, "I've never been with a woman before."

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

That was the thing, Emma wasn't sure. She'd married Rumple but she'd thought at the time that she'd consider the other wives as sisters. That was before she realized the internal relationships were much much more complicated.

"I don't want to come between what you and Regina have."

"It won't. Regina wants to try too."

Emma wasn't sure about that one yet.

"I've never thought about it for myself before," Emma admitted. Not until now, and she was married to four other women as well as a man, "But I don't want you to think you have to thank me like that. I don't want you to feel obligated."

"I don't," Maleficent told her, "When you married into the family, it was hard, like it sometimes is. There's an adjustment period that some of us have gone through several times and hopefully you will never go through at all. And it was harder because of what your parents did but after today…after the days before with the effort you put in? I'm not going to thank you with a quick roll in the hay. I want to make love to one of my wives."

Emma tilted her head, "You're very good with words."

"When one is head wife, one has to be," Maleficent told her, "But I don't want you to feel obligated."

"I won't," Emma told her, "It's just…new for me."

"I don't want you to feel pressured to do anything you don't want either."

Emma thought for a moment. Was this a good idea or a bad one? The negative part of her wanted to say it might be a bad idea but she couldn't find a reason why. Since she'd married, she'd learned that they were all her wives as much as Rumple was her husband. They shared everything together. Even kids if they wanted to. Maleficent was her wife who she felt great respect and affection for and now that they were closer, maybe she could grow to love her as well."

Emma decided that it couldn't hurt. And she moved to straddle Maleficent's lap. Maleficent wrapped her arms around her. Emma did the same, "Is this okay or should we move to the bed."

"Here first is good," Maleficent teased and helped her tank top over her head. Emma felt a flutter of nerves as Maleficent went for the tie on her pants, "I like the view."

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Maleficent found Emma's bed far more comfortable than hers, which wasn't fair. She wouldn't want to get out of it come morning. It was going to be hard enough to do so with Emma right next to her.

Emma had been nervous at first. But they'd fallen into the groove of it quite nicely….several times. Emma had quite the appetite it seemed. She was as curious as Belle would be if you put her in a room full of books.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," Emma leaned over and kissed her, "Just….shocked that's what I was missing all this time."

"Mm," Maleficent felt closer to Emma now, "I'd have shown you more, but it's been a long day and I'm bone tired."

"I can understand that, and we have a long day tomorrow too. Lily needs to get integrated into the town so she doesn't snap and go dragon on us."

"Finding that balance will be difficult," Maleficent admitted.

"Maybe," Emma agreed, "But we'll find it. Eventually."

"Yes," Maleficent agreed and moved to kiss Emma.

"We really need to go to bed," Emma sighed and then groaned, "In a few minutes."


	12. Chapter 12

It was Regina's job in the morning to get Henry up for school. She'd done it six out of ten years he was alive, it was her job and she loved it. It gave them a chance to bond by themselves. Most everyone else kept their own hours with the exception of Emma. Maybe Cruella too since she worked at the paper, but Regina wasn't going to wake her up. Her face was hideous enough with the makeup, seeing her without it might make Regina turn to stone.

So she was surprised when she didn't see Emma up yet, she left Henry to watch the eggs and she went upstairs. The savior's alarm didn't always go off, maybe she needed to learn to enchant it.

"Emma, get your butt out of bed, it being Friday doesn't entitle you to lay around," she opened Emma's door and was surprised to find the bed wasn't slept in. She stared at it for a moment, Emma never made up the bed in the morning, she got home and did it. So what was going on? Did she just make it this morning and leave? Her car was in the driveway….

Her mind went to somewhere a bit scandalous, was Emma stepping out on them, visiting a new interest? They could do that, that was the agreement when they all went into this. They could have lovers and other spouses too. She just hadn't expected Emma to go out and find someone else this soon.

Maybe she was at her parents….making things right with them. That was a long time coming…

Or she might have spent the night with Belle, having their sleepovers, painting their nails, or whatever it was they did.

She shrugged it off, Emma was a grown woman who could do grown up things, what did she care? She wasn't her keeper. She just had seniority because she was the fourth wife to Emma's fifth.

So she opened Mal's door to get her up for breakfast, and her eyes widened when she saw what she did….or rather what she didn't. The covers were over two figures in the bed. Maleficent loved that, she thought the covers over both her and her partner made things more intimate.

But the quiet moaning sounded a LOT like the savior.

Regina's eyes widened, and then she stepped out of the room. She considered interrupting them to gloat, but it didn't seem proper. And she felt a little bit of jealousy that she tried to push back down. She and Maleficent shared something between them, was that ruined now that Emma was getting some too? Was Emma going to be in every single aspect of her life from her curse, to her son, to her husband, and now to her favorite wife?

No, no, Regina couldn't think like that. THe relationships would be different. Like Rumple, she and Maleficent shared something deeper than anything Emma could share with them. She was the new shiny, that was it. Rumple would be fond of her like he was all his wives, but Maleficent would grow bored once the newness wore off.

And there was a part of her that was a little jealous at Maleficent too.

But maybe that was just because she had a taste for blondes when it came to women.

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When breakfast was being served, only Regina had a good idea of what was going on between EMma and Mal.

By the time both came downstairs, talking and laughing, _everyone _had a decent idea of the goings on in that bedroom that night. There were knowing looks and smirks around the table from the adults, Henry looked a bit uneasy, he was still trying to understand this whole idea that they were married to each other, not just Rumple

He was pretty quiet through most of the breakfast, and said his goodbyes when his father came to take him to school. As soon as the door was closed, they all turned their attention to Emma and Maleficent.

"What?" Emma had caught on to the smirks as soon as she came downstairs, "There has to be an appeal to us if there are five women married to one guy, I wanted to see what that was. Don't knock it till you try it, you know."

"We didn't say anything, dearie, it's nice you're trying new things." Rumple assured her.

Emma blushed and stood up, "I gotta go to work."

"I'll join you," Regina stood up, "You coming, Maleficent? "

Cruella snorted, Rumple prodded her gently under the table.

"Later," Maleficent said, glaring at wife number 2, "I don't want to smother LIly as soon as she gets up."

"Probably best, but you shouldn't tarry too much," Rumple advised, "Last thing we want is for her to think we don't like her and gave up as soon as she offered the most bit of trouble.."

"And I'm not sure her going after my family is completely off the table," Emma said.

"I have people that owe me keeping an eye on the inn," Rumple told them, "If she remotely heads to the direction of your parents, we'll know."

"Thank you," Emma looked relieved at that and went to kiss her husband, "Have a good day."

"You too."

Regina gave him a goodbye kiss as well, and followed Emma out the door.

"Ugh, the paper can't function without me writing it, I suppose I must go too," Cruella stood up, "I don't dare carpool with them, Emma drives like a maniac."

She kissed the top of Rumple's head, which was usually more affection than he got from her and she left.

"Well, it looks like it's just us then," Maleficent said to her husband and Belle. She glanced over to Belle and saw she was quieter than usual, "You okay? It's not the nausea, is it?"

"No, no, I"m fine for now," Belle said and swallowed, "Just...I don't know, I didn't expect….when we all married Rumple, I didn't realize we'd be….._with _each other too. At least in that way. And I don't….fancy women in that way and I don't want to feel like an outcast for feeling that way-."

"Oh Belle," Maleficent went to take her hand, "There's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with just preferring to be with Rumple and not us or anyone outside the marriage."

"It makes no difference to me if you just have me or have ten others you love," Rumplestiltskin told her. Though Mal knew he was just saying that. Part of his attachment to Belle was that she completely loved and was devoted to _him_. If she found someone else to be with, it'd probably hurt him more than any of the others finding someone else.

"I've had my….dalliances and the others have had theirs," she told her, "I'm sticking to those in my marriage now. And that's….quite a list of people, but you don't need to feel like you're obligated to have the same list of partners that I'm willing to have or anyone else. If you want to have just Rumple, that's your business alone. Having just him doesn't make you any less a wife to this family."

"But you and the other seem closer."

"Regina and I have always been more or less close until she got desperate to cast the curse, we're working on fixing that. Emma….she was curious. That's it. That's all. Don't let any of our dalliances pressure you into something you don't want to do, Belle. You're stronger than that, we all know it."

Belle mulled it over and then nodded, "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay," Rumple told her, "It's a marriage, not a competition. None of us want you to do anything you're not comfortable with, alright?"

Belle nodded, "Alright."

"Okay," he kissed her temple, "I'll take care of the dishes."

"You just wave your hand and they're done," Maleficent scolded, "Don't act like it's some big thing."

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"Henry wants to spend the weekend with Neal," Regina told Emma as they drove towards town hall, "Should we let him?"

Emma didn't see why they shouldn't, "Well he is Henry's father."

"And adopted brother."

"You don't have to bring that up EVERY conversation, you know," Emma told her, "I get this family's' weird."

"So we send him off to Neal?"

"Probably best, who knows which way this Lily thing's going to go."

They drove in silence for a few moments, "I didn't know you liked ladies."

Emma felt a small blush creep up her neck, "I dunno."

"Was it good?"

"Regina!"

"Blink if it was good!"

Emma rolled her eyes and fluttered her eyes, "How about that?"

"But you're not sure if you're attracted to women."

"I know I'm super attracted to Maleficent, certainly wouldn't kick that out of bed. And speaking of not sharing secrets, look who's talking, You never told me you were exactly interested in anything more than killing me."

Regina huffed, "Well, I like blondes."

Emma's eyes found a parking spot and she pulled in so Regina could get out, "Oh."

"You know, Belle and Mal traded for the night, so it's her night," Regina said, "If you wanted, we could-."

"I don't think that's wise," Emma told her.

"Why not?"

"Because….we still have a lot of things between us," Emma said after a moment of thinking about it, "A lot we have to dish out and talk about….a lot we have to work through. And so, I"m not sure if I'm ready to take that step with you."

"But I've changed."

"That doesn't make what happened to away," Emma told her, "It just makes me more inclined to forgive you. For our son, for our marriage. There's still a lot to work through….and I'm not sure if I like you that way. I was curious with Maleficent…..and as far as anything else, I'm not sure yet. I still have to figure it out."

Regina blinked, "Well, you're missing out then."

"Oh don't be like that." Emma muttered, "Pettiness doesn't suit you."

"But I wear it so well," she mocked.

"Yeah, I know, it cost me 28 years without my parents," Emma snapped and then drew a breath.

Regina looked down, "Well, I see your point, now."

"I just don't think we're where we need to be to consider any sort of intimate relationship," Emma admitted, "Sexual or more."

"Yeah okay," Regina opened the door.

"Hey, for what it's worth, if it wasn't for everything that's happened, I wouldn't kick you out of bed either."

Regina managed a small smile, "Well you wouldn't be completely missing out, then."


	13. Chapter 13

IT was the beginning of the month, the third to be exact, and on the third, Belle called in her assistant to run things for the afternoon, Cruella turned in her article early, Emma put herself on call for emergencies, Regina left the office for an extended lunch and Maleficent left the shop. They all sat down in the dining room. Running one household was difficult. Running five was near impossible if communication wasn't a factor. They were all married, which meant they all had to talk to make sure their marriage worked.

Emma hadn't been to many of these, she was still new. She usually let the others talk, she felt weird for intruding, she still felt like an outsider. Regina usually told them everything Henry needed, and Emma was relatively happy with the roof over her head and the food in her stomach. Regina wasn't trying to kill them either. What'd she have to complain about?

Maleficent sat at the head of the table. Cruella and Belle sat on either side, Regina and Emma were last. Emma sat next to Cruella, Regina sat next to Belle. No particular reason for that order except that Cruella and Regina might start trading blows if they sat close enough.

IT was that sort of marriage, she supposed.

"First thing's first," Maleficent started, "We need a bigger place. With Lily, if she decides to stay, and Belle's baby, we need more room. And of course for NEal too, should he want to."

Emma bristled slightly, she and he were working it out between them. It was still awkward….for a LOT of reasons, "We have the biggest house here. What are you asking for? A castle?"

"A castle out in the country sounds fun darling, but castles take a lot of upkeep and they're drafty," Cruella pulled her fur coat closer, "Not all of us have other options at keeping warm at night."

Emma blushed, Maleficent kicked Cruella under the table.

"Just...it's far," Emma muttered, "If we chose the country."

"Away from your parents?" Belle asked.

"what difference does it make? You're not talking to them anyway," Cruella muttered and braced for another kick. When it didn't come, she finally relaxed...only for Maleficent to kick her extra hard.

"I want to change that," Emma said and fidgeted, "I just….don't know how."

Maleficent mulled it over, "We'll invite them to dinner."

"Is that wise?" Regina asked, "If Lily drives by and sees them, she's going to think we've taken the wrong side."

"They're the only set of parents we have,and both Emma and they want to make it right," Belle looked over, "And I think we should. Invite the whole family. Lily too."

"That would be catastrophic," Cruella warned, "She gets mad, she dragons up. And my room is right under the dining room."

"She needs to get her anger out of her system somehow," Emma started, "Or else it'll boil over to her actually dragoning up. We can't have that. At the very least, she'll get it out verbally. Belle's right."

"Opening up old wounds rarely goes well with queens of darkness." Cruella warned.

"She's held on to anger for years, she has to get it out," Emma said, "I think we should. Just….get it all out there."

"If she dragons up and eats you all, don't come crying to me," cruella said and luckily dodged another angrier kick from Maleficent."

"We can't keep walking on eggshells hiding them from each other forever," Emma said, "And Rumple will be here, if it goes wrong, he can help us."

"If Lily comes," Maleficent said and looked as hesitant about the whole thing as the others did. It was a good idea but they all knew that with one misstep it could go horribly wrong, "what else?"

They all sat in silence before Cruella spoke up, "Well, if we're getting a castle, I want my own office in it...and my own studio.'

"Why don't you ask for a whole wing dedicated to you while you're at it?" Regina mumbled."

"Because I know I wouldn't be so lucky," Cruella pouted.

"Belle, do you have anything you'd like to bring up?" Maleficent ignored Cruella.

"I just…," Belle cleared her throat, "CAn we take it easy on the grease and stuff? The morning sickness is bad."

"Yeah, we can do that."

"I'd also like to start getting things together for the nursery," Belle looked to Regina.

Regina ran her hand through her short hair, "Most of his baby equipment was thrown out years ago, no reason to hold onto it but I'll see what I can do about looking into some things. I know some of his toys are still up in the attic, I couldn't throw those away."

"How's Henry doing?"

"His grades are wavering," Regina said, "school's hard sometimes. You know how kids can be. We're all outcasts in some way or another, but I agree that he needs friends."

"We can find playdates," Emma suggested, "Or whatever you call them these days."

'No one wants to deal with us."

"They'll deal with me," Emma said firmly.

Cruella looked like she was ready to saw something snarky but was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Emma waited a moment as Maleficent got up to answer it. They all heard something like a gasp, "Lily? YOu came."

The other wives took a second to digest what they heard her say then went to crowd the space between the living room and the kitchen.

Lily looked uncomfortable, "Are you busy?"

"No, just….quick meeting, you know. would you like to come in?"

LIly looked conflicted and looked to the other women there, "You're all busy, so probably-."

"Lily," Maleficent said soft, "We'd love to have you."

"I just wanted to say I was sorry for not answering my door today, the old lady at the front said you visited. I was out…."

"She told me."

"I wanted to see the town."

Emma felt chills, what if by 'see the town', she meant 'find Snow White and Charming'?

Maleficent looked behind to see all of them and looked back to her daughter, "We were thinking about maybe having a dinner tonight."

"Oh...well...I'm sure you have dinner every night."

Maleficent moved to shut the door behind her, Emma watched as she most likely told Lily what they intended to do for her. Lily blanched at first, then whispered angrily with her mother. Finally she started yelling loud enough so they could hear.

"why are you so determined to make this work out after what they did to me?"

"Because it's more complicated now than it was 28 years ago!"

"Because your husband is porking their daughter now? Weren't you enough? He had to move onto four other women to make himself feel what you weren't giving him?'

Maleficent swung, but instead of punching Lily, she hit the wall. They all flinched as Lily took a step back. Lily's eyes filled with tears, "Aren't I more important than playing nice?"

"You're everything to me," Maleficent whispered, "Do you think it was easy to deal with losing you, knowing what I lost? Do you think it was easy to marry into their family knowing what they cost me?"

"Because of Emma, you should've said no. I'll bet it would've cleared things up a lot more. "

"It's not Emma's fault," Maleficent said, "None of it."

"Isn't it?" Lily asked and went to walk away.

Everyone stood around awkwardly when Maleficent came back into the room house. Emma walked forward and took Maleficent's hurt hand in hers, "I'm sorry you had to hear that, Emma."

"It's nothing, it's what she's been spouting since we got here, it's nothing new," Emma couldn't look at her as she healed Mal's hand, "She's just getting that anger out. it has to go somewhere."

"Does it have to be me?"

_Better angry words than slaughter. _

"It takes hard work to repair a relationship," Emma told her simply, "She dragged her feet, like I did. And eventually she'll come around. She loves you. She just has a lot to sort through first."

They went to go sit back in their seats. Emma looked around before Cruella, who even looked as awkward as they all felt, spoke up, "So….should we discuss Henry's clothes because since h's going through a growth spurt, I think it's time we redo his wardrobe."

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Sitting at the same table with Snow White and Charming for dinner, what was her mother thinking?

Lily glared at the shake in front of her. How could they even suggest such a thing? She wanted them hurt, she wanted them to pay like she had paid every single day of her life, she didn't want to sit there and talk things out. She didn't want to hear their pity sob story, she knew it already. They got themselves in a bind and she and Emma paid the price. Mostly her.

Lily could deal with a lot. Having a father who wasn't her biological father, she could deal with. Having five moms was going to take some getting used to but she could deal with it. Having a centuries old brother was something she could deal with as well, so was having a kid brother/nephew. It was weird and twisted and sort of gross, but really it was the sort of family she couldn't say she was surprised about having.

And it reminded her what she missed out on. No Dark One raising her as his own, no badass dragon mother. No...Cruella or Belle as her other mothers….she didn't count REgina, she heard Regina got into the family by the curse.

It just reminded her that she had no place, even Emma had found her place. Emma with her happy ever after and her parents.

Her parents that she missed out on.

Parents that had another baby they could raise when her mother might not even get that chance.

Her mother couldn't even leave town.

How was she supposed to sit there and talk and then get all that off her chest and pretend it would be okay? It wouldn't be. Sh couldn't face the couple that made her pay the price for what her daughter might be!

And what if she heard them? And what if they regretted it? And what if she forgave them?

She couldn't, not so easily, not after 29 years of pain and loneliness. But if she didn't forgive them, what if this family that wanted her turned it's back once they were tired of waiting?

Her adopted family had wanted her, then they turned their back when she got to be too much trouble...they abandoned her when things went wrong. She'd tried so hard….

someone slipped into the booth across from her. She looked up started to see it was Neal...or Bae or whatever they were calling him, "Storybrooke looks like it's working it's charms on you."

She smiled wryly, "Is it that obvious?"

"Oh, it's an acquired taste, but you get used to that."

lily scoffed, "Yeah, if they let me stay that long.

her brother frowned, "You okay?"

"I had a fight with my mom," she admitted. Why not tell him? He'd hear about it anyway

"Oh, that's never good."

"You think?" She took a long drink of her shake, "They want me to have dinner with them...and the think I should get my anger out."

"That's bad?"

"No one would like what I had to say."

"They're not doing it because they want to like what you have to say, they're doing it because they want you to say what you need to," he stopped, "Yeah, I think I said that right."

"Emma wouldn't like me reading her parents the riot act over dinner."

"EMma's barely talked to her parents since she learned what they did to you."

"well I"m sure finding out they damned a baby does wonders for family reunions," she said, "My mother won't even try to understand me."

"She understands."

"She won't help me make them pay."

"would that make you feel better?"

That was the problem, Lily didn't know, "It'd make me feel something."

"Looks to me like you feel plenty already."

Lily bristled, "Nothing I like."

"Revenge won't make you feel different."

She scoffed, "You sure about that?"

"PLenty sure, I've seen men destroy themselves over revenge they got. They ruined themselves to avenge someone they wanted...and then when it was done they nearly went insane because it was over and they didn't like what they became."

Lily looked down, "What do you care?"

"I care because you're my sister. And I was as angry as you were once at my father. I still am in a lot of ways."

She went in for the kill instinctively, "Because he married Emma."

He flinched, she looked down, "Sorry."

"He let me go when I was a boy and I fell down a portal, that's why the curse got cast, a whole world was uprooted for me. Then I get here and realize he raised the son I never knew I had."

"And he married Emma."

"And he married Emma," Neal admitted, "It was her choice though. We're working through it, slowly. But I was angry like you were once…."

"They'll turn their back on me if I keep up like this."

"NO they won't," he told her

"You sure about that?"

"One thing my father's good at is patience," he told her, "And this family gets, it's anger. They're not going to throw you out for being angry."

"What if they do?"

HE looked conflicted, "Would you like me to come for dinner tonight?"

"I don't see what good you can be."

"A mediator, maybe."

Lily was used to guys asking to do things for her for favors later. Not him. He didn't look at her like the others did, he looked at her like a brother might.. One that wanted to protect his sister.

"What time is dinner?"


	14. Chapter 14

The ladies took the rest of the day off to get everything ready for dinner, Emma told them what her parents favorite dish was, but the idea got scrapped, they didn't want Lily to use that as means to believe they were taking Snow and Charming's side. Things were going to be tense enough.

That evening, Emma's hands were shaking so badly that the dishes she was setting up were clattering. She felt Rumple's arms encircle her and hold her close, "Everything will be alright."

"I don't think so."

"It might not work out by tonight," he kissed her ear gently, she enjoyed the affection, "But it will work out."

"Since when do you have that sort of faith?"

"Because we're family," he tightened his grip, "And family like ours always works out in the end."

"Mom give you a cliche of the day calendar?"

She heard the amusement in his voice, "You look beautiful tonight."

"Thank you, and you look...well as handsomely immaculate as ever."

He chuckled, "Well, I try."

There was a buzz at the door. Rumple pulled away but rubbed her back with his hand to let her know he was still there.

Emma had to admit she was surprised Lily did show up. She was even more surprised that Neal was next to her. Neal caught the affection between his dad and his ex and looked away without saying anything.

"Lily," Rumple greeted warmly, "You look beautiful tonight."

"Thanks," Lily looked down at the blouse and jeans that were both new.

"Are you comfortable in the inn?"

"As comfortable as I am anywhere else I guess. I'll bet the bill will be high though once Granny is done with me."

"Perhaps we can work something out, get you a job in the way of living there for free or discounted."

She looked at him wryly, "What? No offer to stay here?" 

"As if you'd take it," Rumple said, though the longing in his voice showed how much he'd love the idea of his family under one roof.

"Would you like a small tour before we get started?"

Lily gave an unsure look to Neal who gave a small nod, "Yeah okay."

They both moved away, and Emma was left standing awkwardly with Neal.

"So….," she started, "You're playing big brother?"

"Well, she could use it, I guess," he shoved his hands in his pockets, "I know this is mostly for your parents and her to get stuff out, but I told her if she went, I'd come with her and back her up. You don't mind, do you?"

"No," emma said, and she felt some relief that he would be there, anything to diffuse the situation, "We might need you, really. The fighting gets nasty sometimes."

"Yeah, I've gathered that," he looked around, "Where are the other moms?"

"Peeking in, probably."

"Her mother didn't greet her."

"Maleficent's learned quickly not to quickly approach her daughter in fear of getting dragonfired," Emma told him.

"Dad!" Henry shouted from the stops.

"Hey buddy!" Neal broke into a grin as Henry raced down the steps and hugged him tightly, "So our first complete family dinner, huh?"

"Not really, Belle's dad isn't here," Henry muttered. He'd practically disowned Belle as she chose to stay with her polygamy family. Belle didn't talk to him or about him.

"One thing at a time," Neal said and ruffled his son's hair.

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When Snow and Charming arrived, the family was done with the setup for dinner and were sitting around drinking tea. Lily stared at the tea like it was a foreign object, Emma leaned over and told her that she'd get acquired to the taste.

They'd come in nice clothes. Her mother still wore the oversized white coat she favored so much. In their hands were champagne and her baby brother. Emma let them in and shut the door behind them.

"What's it like?" Her father asked quickly.

"Tense with a side of 'about-to-be-tenser'," Emma told them and then froze when Lily came into the entranceway to study them. She stared with both down with anger in her eyes. Emma thought she felt the room temperature drop with the icy stare.

"Lily," Neal said quickly. Emma saw her husband standing beside him, "Maybe it's time for dinner."

"We're having meat pies," Emma said after a moment hesitation. Rumple's favorite, that seemed simple enough

"They're getting cold," Rumple said and then called his daughter's name. Lily blinked, turned away and went to the dining room.

This was going to be awful.

Emma started forward, Henry passed to go to the dining room when Rumple grabbed him gently, "If one of us tells you to run, you don't question it, you go the opposite way of danger and you hide until one of us comes to get you."

Henry looked worried but nodded, "Okay dad."

"Good boy," Rumple whispered.

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The seating arrangement had placed Lily and Baelfire right across from Emma and her parents. Rumple sat at the head of the table, Maleficent and Cruella sat at their usual places. Cruella seemed to finally understand the magnitude of this, she was quiet. Maleficent clutched her husband's hand so tight it was white.

Belle sat at the lower end of the table, right next to the door so that she and Henry could escape if they needed to. Regina sat across from Henry, ready to ensure her getaway.

"We going to do this in front of the kid?" Lily asked.

"Have a civil dinner and discuss our problems like adults, of course, why not?" Emma muttered.

"He want to see his perfect grandparents for what they are?" Lily challenged.

"LIly, we know we're not perfect," Snow told her.

"At least you're at that point," Lily muttered, "You took me from my mother." 

"We know," Charming said gently, "We're so sorry."

Lily didn't seem to anticipate an apology and that made her even more angry, "that's not enough! That doesn't make up for almost 30 years I didn't have with her! Do you know what my life was like? I was adopted by parents who only loved me if I was what they wanted me to be. They let their money raise me other times and when I met Emma, everything got worse because of what YOU did. Everything I did, backfired. I tried to be good, I never got recognized for it. Something would go wrong when I tried. Then I got kicked out at sixteen years old. Sixteen! Do you want to know how hard it was to survive the streets at 16? There are no queen's carriages to rob, there were no rich people to go after, do you know the things I had to do?"

Maleficent shuddered. Rumple put his hand over hers.

"We thought we were protecting our daughter," Snow said, "We thought you were a dragon, we didn't realize you would be a baby

"Like that matters!" LIly shouted, "You cursed me because I wasn't human enough? What sort of excuse is that?!"

"It's not an excuse," Snow told her, "IT was my fault. I saw a vision, I saw my daughter rip my heart out and crush it and I overreacted. They told me that she'd have a choice, but I ignored it because I thought that would be her destiny. I was wrong, Lily. I was wrong and I ruined your life and I'm so so sorry. It's haunted us since we've done it, and we can't make up for it, but surely we can find a way to work-."

But instead of forgiving her, Lily was shaking, "I got my life ruined for nothing? You did this to me on a visiony whim?!"

"Lily?" Neal started.

Lily's eyes turned.

Emma jolted back with alarm, Rumple and Maleficent stood up and waved their hands. Rumple, Maleficent, and Lily all disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

A dragon's roar sounded in the distance.

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The sun wasn't quite down yet, so Maleficent got to view her daughter in all her dragony glory as she flew around Storybrooke roaring and blowing fire. It wouldn't do any damage, she and Rumple had acted fast to put a barrier over the town and forest so it wouldn't burn. Lily could get out her anger, no one got hurt, everyone was happy.

"It was a start," Rumple promised, "She didn't slaughter them."

Maleficent still held tightly to his hand. She hadn't gotten the chance to leave with a coat, so Rumple draped his on her shoulders.

"She's beautiful," Maleficent stared in wonder at her daughter.

"She is magnificent," he agreed, his eyes held no doubt that to him, Lily was his daughter, "She looks like you."

Maleficent smiled and drew closer, "I wish you'd have been her father."

"I still can be," he told her and looked over, "If she'll let me."

"I don't know if she'll let anyone in."

"You might be surprised," he kissed the back of her hand.

"She says things. Hurtful things," Maleficent said, "I know she doesn't mean them, I know it's defensive...but it still hurts."

"I know," he whispered, in truth he hated her talking to her mother like that. If he didn't know the anger so well, he'd grab her and shake some sense into her, it wasn't Maleficent's fault that she wasn't being as vengeful as she could be.

"She thinks I"ve gone soft."

"You haven't."

"I've slept with the daughter they damned her for. I let her into the family knowing what her parents did."

"That's not Emma's fault."

"I know that. Of course!" she told him quickly, "I've never blamed Emma.

"And why not have a relationship with your wife?" he raised an eyebrow, "She has admiration for you, you know. she respects you."

"Are you telling me to take advantage of that?" Maleficent half teased.

"I"m telling you to enjoy being married to women as well as a man if you want," he shrugged.

"And outside the marriage?" she tested, just to be curious.

"I've looked outside the marriage and look where we are. It would be unfair to deny you the same."

He'd always held that, he'd always treated her like an equal and that's part of why she loved him, "Nah, I sort of like the family we've built for ourselves."

He seemed pleased with that and turned his eyes up to their daughter, " And she will too, in time. Looks like she's landing."

"Settling down?"

"Well, one can only hope," he waved his hand and took them to where Lily was transforming back into a human. She was almost curled up. Her whole body was shaking like what she'd just done was too much.

Maleficent took Rumple's coat off her shoulders and hovered over her daughter, "Are you alright."

Lily looked up at them slowly, "I'm not sure….just yet."

It was the most vulnerable that she allowed herself to look to them. Rumple and Maleficent realized they could use this for an invitation and sat on either side of her.. When she didn't object or pull way, Maleficent reached into her pocket and pulled out the rattle she saved for all those years.

"I was going to give you something earlier," she offered it to Lily, "This was supposed to be yours but I never got a chance to give it to you."

LIly took it and stared incredulously at her mother. Maleficent's face fell, "It's too late isn't it? You're too grown up for everything. You don't need us. and I know that we're not….that we're not what you were hoping for. "

Lily drew in a breath, "I thought…..that you'd be this scary dragon bitch and dark one….we'd get our revenge, you know. Blasting people who did us wrong. but you're just...these real people...and you're so friggin' open in all the ways and it kills me."

"Why does that kill you?" Maleficent asked as Lily started crying, "I don't understand, please tell me."

"Because you want a relationship," Lily said, "A future; and anyone who's ever wanted that with me. it's ever worked out. I've always let them down. I destroy everything that I touch. that darkness that they put in me...it's serious business."

Maleficent smiled at her daughter, "We don't mind a little darkness."

She went to hug her daughter. Lily returned the embrace. Rumple wrapped his arms around both of them. He didn't say anything, he didn't need to. Lily's mother was saying everything he felt.

"Look," Maleficent pulled back, "Let us buy you dinner and why don't you stay for a week? And I can teach you about being a scary dragon bitch."

"Okay," Lily agreed, "One week."

But all three knew the truth, they knew she was going to stay.

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Emma saw her parents out the door and promised them she'd call them later and went to put dinner away. Not many had had an appetite after that, most they did was make small talk until Rumple called them and told them the three that left were safe.

And Emma hadn't heard about any fire damage, though Lily was trying apparently

"Belle needs to eat more," Regina stared at the half eaten meat pie in distaste.

"Well after that display, not many had an appetite," Emma muttered, her thoughts going a million miles an hour. She wasn't sure how she felt about the situation. Her parents knew they'd done wrong but forgiving them this soon felt like it was disrespecting the magnitude of what they'd done to Lily.

"Didn't seem to bother Henry much," Regina looked at the cleaned plate."

"Nah, family squabbles are run of the mill for him, he'd probably eat these meat pies himself," Emma half joked and put another one in the container and labelled it for lunch tomorrow.

"It didn't go as badly as I thought it would," Regina started.

"We did set the bar low," Emma went to put the containers in the fridge.

There was a few moments of tension, "Emma?"

"Hm?"

"I took you from your family too and you grew up alone. Why haven't you ever taken it out on me the way Lily did your parents?"

Emma didn't want to think about it, 'Never had time to stay fully angry I guess. Always something happening."

"Was it the curse your parents put on Lily?"

"Nah, I've certainly had anger with you,' she told her, "Lots of it in case you've forgotten. But there was always something going on and by the time I got the chance to catch my breath….Rumple was looking to court me into being wife number 5. Holding a grudge on wife 4 didn't seem like a good way to start off things."

"Are you still angry?"

"A little," Emma admitted.

Regina looked away, 'I was going to kill you when you were a baby."

"Yes, I know."

"I'm sorry," she finally admitted, "I know I said I didn't regret things when we were in Neverland Because it got me what I wanted, back then I didn't. But the truth is that when you joined the family, I finally got to understand what I did and what it meant. Seeing Lily and what you could've done to me but chose not to….you didn't deserve that."

"None of us did," Emma whispered.

"I'm sorry."

Emma wondered if the next words were her or what her parents forced on her, "You're forgiven."

But then what did it matter if it was one or the other?

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They'd stayed into the diner long into the night just talking. They told each other everything, even the hard parts. They stayed after closing time while Granny and the others cleaned up and stayed until Granny nearly threatened to pay them to leave. Then they sat on a park bench and talked.

The sky was starting to lighten when they parted ways. Progress was made, they knew most everything about the other. She trusted them. That meant the world. Though, She wasn't ready to move in yet, but she was considering it.

They got home and noticed Baelfire sleeping on the couch. Careful not to disturb him, they crept up the stairs.

"What a night," Rumple said as they changed for bed. He put a note on the door saying not to wake them up. He'd sleep through some of Regina's morning but they never got together in the morning anyway.

Maleficent beamed, "It's the best one we've had in years."

"That it is," he crawled into bed, "I'd show you how much I love you but I'm exhausted."

Maleficent curled up beside him and stroked his face, "It's alright. Next round, we're back on normal schedule, so I'll see you in about three days anyway."

Maleficent smiled and kissed him, "We're almost there."

"We are," he covered her face in kisses.

So close to having their family.

**A/N" I"ve gotten lazy about doing these, but I got a question that I remembered having, so I"m going to say it really quickly. There are parts of a plan (LIke 12% of a plan) but mostly I started this story to see how these relationships would develop. And because I wanted to see if I could do it believeably as it's one of the most ludacris things I've ever done.**

**There will be a point when they realize that the timeline was changed from what it was originally and there's probably be a big arc on what that means and what these people want to do, knowing they were never married. Eventually. But right now this is a relaxing fic for me, because it lets me explore relationships, which I'm enjoying doing. **


	15. Chapter 15

For 28 years during the curse, Regina had been married to Rumplestiltskin…..or as she knew him, Mr. Gold.

And in those 28 years of marriage, they both led different lives. It was quite simple really; he owned the town, she ran it. A modern day power couple. They shared meetings, plans, dinners, and the bed. Nothing else was shared between them for the first eighteen years they were there. Regina had her own life, she had her own way of running things. Meanwhile, he sat in his pawnshop all day and collected rent.

She never let Mr. Gold touch her. She had Graham…..and it wasn't until some time later that she fully understood what she'd done in regards to him. And she understood how horrific that was. Nothing could redeem that, so she tried not to think about it, she tried not to focus.

Regina hadn't wanted to be married to Rumplestiltskin, it wasn't part of the plan. But his cursed self didn't interfere with her life, so she saw no reason to divorce him or…..handle him the way she'd done her first husband. Mr. Gold just wanted the company. He got that in the evenings, he was happy.

Then Regina got it in her mind to adopt, she wasn't feeling very fulfilled, she had everything,s he wanted more. Why not try out motherhood for herself?

When she told him she wanted a baby and he was going to help her, he'd scoffed that he'd been flattered but uninterested. And she'd been disgusted at the thought. That was their marriage in a nutshell.

When Henry came along, he'd told her at first that he held no want of responsibility for the child. Regina wanted him, it would be her job to feed him and change him and take him for his walks or whatever it was that mothers and babies did.

That was something that changed when he held Henry. When he held Henry, Rumplestiltskin's paternal side shone through. He became the boy's father.

And Regina, despite herself, was jealous. She'd always had to work harder. He cried when she held him, he never did with Mr. Gold. She became angry, she tried to cut into his time with their son so that he could love her more. That's why she adopted him!

Finally he stopped crying, he even smiled at her sometimes. But then she had to work harder at everything else.

Mr. Gold told her once that maybe if she relaxed, she wouldn't need to go the extra mile.

Of course he was the one to say that! Henry took to HIM.

and that was their relationship for ten years. Regina knew now she hadn't been a good mother emotionally; she tried too hard, she didn't love him right, she became her mother if not worse. She treated Henry as a rope in a tug of war against her husband, then Emma. And it drew Henry away. And then he started to think for himself and it it really isolated them.

When the curse broke, Rumplestiltskin told her that she'd loved Henry the way she'd needed to, now it was time to love him the way HE needed it. Regina hadn't understood that at the time. She hadn't wanted to, Henry was HERS, she worked hard for 10 years to make him what he was. She wasn't going to share him with Emma and the Charmings and his three new stepmothers.

And then everything happened. Her mother happened, and she tried to drive a wedge between Regina and Rumple by giving her information that Regina REALLY needed mindbleach to deal with. She really didn't want to imagine the husband and the mother doing it at one point. Regina even took a quick DNA test to make sure he wasn't her father like her mother hinted he might be.

He wasn't. Thank God for that.

Snow killed her mother, she used her to deal with it and Regina broke down even more. She realized now that her mother's declaration on her deathbed that they would've been enough might've just been that. A deathbed confession.

Because Rumple told her a little bit about what Cora had done after her passing. The things she'd pulled with her heart in. She'd completely went off the deep end, but he stayed with her the night her mother died. He comforted her, and that was the first time they'd….shared relations. They'd talked about it after the curse, Regina had only wanted to be married to him in name. She'd lost Henry, she didn't want to lost her husband and house too.

That night, Regina thought that maybe she could abandon her revenge, she could be loved, but she was too wrapped up in her revenge. She'd gone too far to stop now. They'd never trust her, they'd never forgive her. She'd never belong.

The failsafe was something she'd regretted. If only she'd stopped, if only she'd just stopped then everything that happened afterwards wouldn't have happened.

Because that's how Greg and Tamara took the failsafe. That's how they distracted them long enough to get Henry. IT's how they got to Neverland, it was how Rumple died just as they were working on renewing their relationship, it's how she had to take everyone back and live for a year separated from their son, it's how Zelena made them all return after bringing back their husband.

It's how the queens of darkness, Belle and Emma banded together to get Rumple out of Zelena's clutches once they figured everything out.

It was how Rumple, in his trauma, took to Emma and married her. Why, Regina didn't know. He'd liked dark haired women to blondes any day with the exception of Mal. (Cruella swore she was a blonde, but no one could prove it) and added her to the family.

Regina wondered how much would've changed if she'd just left well enough alone with that failsafe. If she'd tried a lot sooner.

She liked to brag that she'd been married to Rumple for almost 30 years. She didn't tell anyone that the intimacy of the relationship was almost as new as Emma's.

And she wouldn't tell them. She was still learning to work with the family instead of against them, but that wasn't something she was willing to share.

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Rumplestiltskin's days with Regina went to one extreme and then the next. She was still mayor of the town, he still owned it. They went over everything they needed to with professional coldness, but when they were done with that, Regina used her lunch break to find a cot, or the inn, or even their room to spend that time with him.

It would be something they'd repeat that night. Probably more than once.

She was near insatiable.

"You alright?" Regina asked him as they lay together in the inn.

"Hmm….," he dragged a knuckle down her arm, watching the goosebumps follow, "I only got up two hours ago, slept well, and now you're making me want another nap."

"Getting old, are you?" she teased and kissed him.

"Hm, might be the cooler weather. Might be a passionate wife," He brushed her hair back.

She rested back on her pillow, "I apologized to Emma last night."

He smiled, "Did you really, that's fantastic."

Regina stared at the ceiling and sighed, "Is it?"

"Well, why wouldn't it be?"

"I understand the things I've done are wrong," she whispered, "I understand why they're wrong. And there are things I do regret, but...there are things I don't. And no matter how much I try and I try, I can't make myself regret them. Do you feel that way?"

He hesitated, he didn't really. He knew what he'd done and if he focused too much on his sins, they'd eat him alive. So he tried not to think about it, "You tell yourself you're doing the right thing, and eventually you'll believe it."

"That's not true though, that's not how I work," she whispered, "There are things I just...don't regret. and I should."

He felt his heart break at the despair and fear in her voice. He saw that she was shaking, "You're you, Regina."

"What if something's wrong with me? The way something's wired wrong in Cruella?"

Rumplestiltskin sat up, he offered his hand and REgina sat up as well, "I think….that there's things wrong with all of us. Everyone has something wrong with them, But whatever's wrong with me and whatever's wrong with you….it doesn't matter. I love you, I love this family, and that doesn't change. I know you love this family too in your own way-."

"I want to love the normal way," she told him, "The way the Charmings love the other."

"NO two loves are alike," he reminded her, "The way I love all of you is different, they way they love each other is different. That doesn't make the way we feel about the other less than what it is. Besides, Charming doesn't have four other wives and he never slept with one of his wives' mothers at one time."

"That doesn't matter to me," Regina REALLY didn't want to think about that, "I never held that against you."

"It mattered to me," he looked disgusted with himself.

"This whole family's insane with it's connections and members," Regina muttered, "What you did with my mother is something I prefer not to think about. Really, it's the least messed up thing about this whole situation."

"Does that bother you?" he finally asked.

"No," she said after taking a moment to think about it, "I'm happy here."

"Me too."

Regina searched his eyes, "Why did you take me back? After everything I did?"

"Because we spent 28 years together, had a kid, and you are my wife."

"We spent 28 years together in some marriage limbo, I played tug of war with Henry, and we never actually made vows until the Zelena thing"

"It was still 28 years that meant something, we was still our son, and my cursed self made vows...and that's a part of me, right? We are both and all that?"

"So they say."

"And I gave you a chance because you gave me a chance, I"m hardly innocent in this curse casting business myself, you know."

"So it bothers you, what we've done to get here?"

"Yes," he finally admitted, "But I got my son back, as long as I focus on that….it doesn't hurt so much."

"I don't feel bad about it at all," she admitted.

"Maybe in time, you will."

Regina smiled, "I doubt it, but it's a nice thought."

He kissed her, "we should dress soon, Granny will kick us out if we go past the time we reserved. And I don't want her coming in to see all this. Might have to add in wife number six."

Regina laughed and brushed his hair back, "No, lets just lay like this for a few more minutes."

He would never know how much she needed him to be the one stability in her life. She had Henry but eventually Henry would grow up and move out and she'd still have Rumple.

"I love you for who you are," he promised.

"When did you get so smart about love," she teased and moved closer.

"Five wives, you're either really good at love, or really really stupid and callous. There is no middle ground."

Regina laughed


	16. Chapter 16

The day passed with no eventful happenings, to everyone's relief. There was really no way they could top a dragon flying around town trying and failing to burn it in anger. Maleficent spent a nice lunch with her daughter, but Lily still wanted to take it slow. She went to explore the town on her own. Maleficent took it with grace, it was a start. At least she wasn't ready to run away at the slightest provocation.

Maleficent would be patient, she'd be understanding, and her daughter would stay

THey needed to get a room ready. Maleficent needed to talk about that again soon. She'd gotten started at the meeting but Lily had come and it'd taken their focus off it.

"Where's Emma?" Cruella asked as they sat at dinner

"Emma and Henry are finally having dinner over with her parents.," Regina said and put some lasagna on the plate.

"And we weren't invited?" Cruella said offended.

"Who would invite you?" Regina muttered.

"Okay," Rumplestiltskin interrupted, "LEt's play nice."

"Don't talk to us like we're children," Cruella snapped.

"No, you're wives, act like it," Maleficent said and that ended it.

A few moments of silence passed. Belle spoke, "Is Lily okay?"

"Yeah it's just an adjustment," Maleficent said, "I think….I think it's best to ease her into all this. she seems to respond best to that. She's having dinner with Baelfire."

"Oh really now?" Cruella asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Don't," Maleficent warned her.

"Can we NOT fight at the table please?" Belle asked.

"What? I just find it a very...interesting development," Cruella pointed out.

"That's enough," Rumplestiltskin warned, "She's normal and she might see him as normal. Let her have that without speculation."

"Whatever gets her to stay is fine," Belle said, "Can we please eat in peace? Please? Without some argument or drama happening? I'd like to go one night without worrying about that. The doctor said I'm supposed to take it easier now that I'm pregnant and all this doesn't help!"

Everyone was quiet after that.

Everyone betted Emma's dinner with her parents was going better than this.

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When Emma came to dinner, there was a happiness to her parents. They realized that this was the first step to mending the relationship and they set out to make her favorite dinner of...grilled cheese and onion rings. They made small talk, Henry did most of the talking as they asked about school and the sports Emma made him play so he could be a kid. It was easy then.

But as they sat down, they remembered the dinner from last night, and a tension filled the room.

"Emma," Snow started, "About last night."

"It's fine, it's all under control," she said.

"JUst that….oh Emma, we didn't mean for any of it to happen," her mother whispered

"I don't want to talk about it," she'd come here because she was tired of not talking about it and she realized that it was still something she clung to

"It's the elephant in the room," Her father said.

"We hurt you, we're sorry," Snow told her.

"Yeah well, you hurt a lot of people. Not just me, I got a darkless existence or whatever. Lily and Maleficent lost more."

Snow flinched, "We took your choice."

"Yeah, you did," Emma still didn't want to talk about it, especially not in front of Henry, so she changed the subject, "How's the baby?"

"Neal,'s still not sleeping through the nights."

Emma gripped the fork. Neal was given his name because in the missing year, Neal nearly died trying to save everyone. They'd thwarted it at the last minute but the recognition of the act was that he got a royal baby named after him.

A few followed, in fact. Neal and Baelfire were popular names right now.

Her baby brother had the life that she'd have had if not for Regina.

That Lily would've had if not for her parents.

But Emma didn't start talking about that. This was supposed to be a good family dinner, it was supposed to be the first step to healing and bonding.

"Oh," Emma said simply and continued eating her dinner.

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Emma made small talk with her parents until late and then she and Henry went home. Anything to avoid her wives and husband because she didn't want to talk about it. Emma wasn't even sure if it went well or not.

she hugged Henry and sent him to bed. It was late, he had a game tomorrow.

She lay in her own bed quietly for about an hour before she heard Maleficent was up. It wasn't something Emma really contemplated heavily over. She wanted comfort, and she realized she sort of liked how Maleficent gave it. And she really sort of liked giving it to Maleficent as well.

Emma knocked on the door. Maleficent answered and saw it was her. She gave a warm smile and opened the door so Emma could come in, "Come on."

When they were done, they lay whispering together in the bed. Emma sat cross-legged on the bed. Maleficent lay on her side and just listened. Emma realized she'd never even had that growing up. Someone that would listen.

"It was so...awkward at dinner, There are so many things I keep putting aside because they're inconvenient for what's going on and now that there's no threats, I've had to really think about them," she whispered, "Like they took my choice away. They made it hard for Lily and it's hard enough out there. I want to forgive them, I try to forgive them, but I remember how I met Lily...and I remember the rundown place I had to go in order to get her necklace back. I love my parents but knowing those things makes it harder to forgive what they did."

"But you're willing to try," Maleficent pointed out, "Isn't that something?"

"I see how Lily used to treat you, and I see some of that in myself to them. I want to stop but I feel I have a right to be angry."

"Anger isn't a bad emotion. It's an emotion, like anything else. It's what one does with it that's evil."

"And how long did Regina sit there being angry before she started her evil deeds."

"Regina bottled it up, you haven't."

"I bottled it up for 28 years."

"And you're dealing with it. In a healthy way….or as healthy as one can in this town. Trust me, you're nowhere near Regina and my levels of anger and bitterness. It's okay to be angry at your parents."

"I see the hurt in their face though. Maybe it's time I let it go. I just...don't know how."

"Well, I'm a bit biased in a lot of places in that department when it comes to them."

Emma brushed some of Maleficent's hair back, "I know it's hard for you."

"It's hard for me in a lot of places." Maleficent said and stopped, "I want to have another baby. This time with Rumple."

Emma's eyes grew, she could see how that might worry Maleficent to say out loud, "Does he know."

"Not yet. I haven't told him," Maleficent looked at her, "I worry about Lily feeling replaced. I know I shouldn't ask but do you…"

"Feel replaces sometimes?" Emma asked and hesitated, " A little. I know it's not their fault, and I know they love me. I know the relationship is different. I know deep down I shouldn't feel some jealousy but I do. That's the life...I could have."

"Lily wouldn't take it well," Maleficent concluded.

Emma shook her head, "Probably not."

Maleficent sighed, "My biological clock is ticking, so they say. But Lily's my first focus. We're finally on good solid footing. But still….I want another chance. I want a baby. "

Emma thought about her own feelings with her parents on the subject, "You should bring it up at dinner one day."

"The rate dinners are going? It's a wonder it hasn't turned into a food fight yet."

"It was really that bad?"

"Not too bad. Cruella is Cruella...but lets just say that something becomes unbalanced without you and Henry there. No one knows how to act."

"Please," Emma lay next to her, "I doubt I make that much of an impact to anything."

"You clearly were not listening to me an hour ago."

Emma blinked and scoffed, "Go to sleep."

Maleficent went to spoon her, Emma grinned as she felt the lips on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, who's the head wife that gives orders like that?"

"I'll make you say I am if you don't go to sleep," Emma teased.

A few moments of silence passed, "I don't know how I'd get through this without you."

Emma interlocked her fingers with Maleficent, "I feel honored that you listen to my opinion."

Maleficent leaned over and kissed her cheek, "Get some rest."


	17. Chapter 17

Henry's game was today. He played baseball to both his mothers' pride. He was trying his best to make friends. He was trying his best to be an actual kid, and it was difficult in some places for him to learn to do that when everyone was 28 years older than he was.

It was difficult for Regina to learn how to share him with her husband and other women, now she had to share him with other kids. Things weren't easier than they used to be. It was difficult for him still, now instead of having the terrifying mayor for a mother that isolated him to what SHE wanted, he had an even more insane living situation.

Him having friends was encouraged. Him actually getting friends was a miracle every time.

And when Henry's game happened, _everyone _in the family showed up. they practically filled a section of bleachers themselves.

"Are you sure you're perfectly alright?" Rumplestiltskin asked as they waited for people to move so they could take the roped off section for themselves. Emma frowned when she saw it. She didn't think people reserved seating at a kids event but that was normal outside

Storybrooke and this situation was _them_.

"I'm fine, Rumplestiltskin," Belle told him. She wore a light coat, sunglasses and a hat. It was a chilly day. They'd dressed for the weather.

Cruella's coat could fill a bench all on its own.

"If you're feeling hot or dizzy...or cold or dizzy...or anything, just let me know."

"Don't fuss. I'm pregnant, not invalid."

"Still," his eyes went over her, "Just let me know."

"I will," she shouldered her purse and sighed, "Certainly taking a while."

"I can move them," Rumple smirked, "Wave my hand, they're in the parking lot. Whoops."

Emma nudged him. He rubbed his side and chuckled. It was Emma's night, so he'd sit with her at the game. The way they were lined up; Belle would probably sit on the other side, in case she needed anything. This was their first real public outing since she'd told them she was pregnant, the other wives told her they were surprised he wasn't more protective.

Everyone started to move faster and Cruella sighed, "Finally."

They reached the bottom of the stairs. Maleficent nudged Emma, "Look."

Emma looked up. Her parents were already there. But two bleachers up there was Neal and Lily. Maleficent beamed and went to see her daughter, "Hey, we didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, Bae told me that everyone comes and…..and he is my brother...nephew….whatever."

"Yes, it's complicated," Maleficent's eyes were shining.

Rumplestiltskin came up and went to hug his daughter. Only when she flinched and took a step back did he pull back and tried not to look hurt. One step at a time, that's what they all agreed on.

But it was obvious how much Rumple wanted to hold his daughter.

"We're so happy you came," Maleficent said and went to sit next to her daughter. She yanked Regina to sit on the other side of her. A night for Emma and Rumple probably meant a night for the two of them.

Which left Cruella to sit on the other side of Belle. Cruella didn't seem bothered by all this, she pulled out her mirror and checked her reflection, "Darling, you're shivering."

"I am not," Belle whispered.

"If you're cold, I could always get you one of my old furs to wear. Not permanently of course."

"I have my own coats."

"That just fit you. Need I remind you that you're warming up for two now? that little oven of yours probably needs a bit more warming."

Belle wasn't sure if she should take that to be dirty or not. One never knew with this family, "I didn't know you cared."

"Of course I care, that baby's sort of mine too!"

"Cruella," Belle started and raised an eyebrow.

Cruella sighed, "And maybe if I help care for you and the baby, maybe they'll forgive me for what I did to Lily."

"Perhaps they've forgiven you more than you've thought," Belle offered.

"Yeah, that'll be the day," Cruella muttered.

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"Henry's team is awful other than him," Rumplestiltskin told Emma while Belle and Cruella talked right next to them, "It's going to be a slaughter."

"They're fine."

"I could easily wave my hand and get us all home runs."

"That's cheating," Emma reminded him after laughing.

"It's using our resources."

"It is cheating, the other kids work hard to be the best little athletes they can be."

"They're 12, Emma," he kissed her cheek, "It'll boost the team's morale. Surely that's a good thing."

"They just want to have fun," Emma leaned against him when he wrapped his arm around her.

"They're 12, Emma," he hugged her, "They care about winning. We all do. Wanting to have fun is something someone made up who kept losing."

"I'll bet."

"Oh, trust me on this, it was. I knew the guy. I'm the reason the notion became popular."

"I think you're making that up."

"You'll never know."

"If the notion of having fun over winning became popular because of you, then how was it a concept in this world?"

"How were any of us a concept in this world? Our stories go back generations, it's never made sense. It just is. LIke many things in life."

"You're trying to get philosophical on me over something you're making up to try and impress me," she playfully poked him.

"Is it working?"

Emma smirked and playfully went to poke him again when she saw Lily and Neal get up and go down the stairs towards concession, "What do you think is going on between those two?"

"Perhaps he's being the first friend she's had in awhile," Rumple looked over at her, "Would it bother you if it was more?"

"They're brother and sister."

"Not by blood."

"By marriage though."

"So it bothers you," he looked over.

"It shouldn't," Emma admitted, "I'm married to you."

"And he's your first love and the father of your child. I'm not a fool, Emma. I know those feelings didn't disappear just because I put a ring on her left hand. I never wanted you to just forget feelings you have for others just to be with me. ."

"You just don't want me to act on them."

"I cant stop you when I have five wives. But I do hope you make a decision. And make peace with the consequences of the decision."

Emma felt the guilt weighing on her chest, "Does it bother you that his relationship with Lily bothers me?"

He was quiet for a moment, "Yes."

Emma put her hand on his, "I chose you. I'd never break that."

"I don't want you to feel obligated because you made a decision you might regret."

"But I don't," Emma told him and squeezed, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I've never regretted marrying into this family. There are feelings, but that's all there are. It will never be anything else. It's too weird now. And I wouldn't even know where to start.

He gave a small smile, "I would miss you dearly."

"You better," she gave him a kiss and rested her head on his shoulder.

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When Regina had awakened married to Rumple, there hadn't been a lot of affection in public places. She liked it that way. When they started up a physical relationship, nothing changed. everything stayed in the bedroom (Several times on her days!). But Maleficent was different, Maleficent liked the physical contact no matter where she was at

Regina was still getting used to that. Put was weird to feel Maleficent's hand on her leg as she talked with her daughter about her plans for the day. Maleficent casually brushing her thumb up and down her thigh as she talked just sent chills up Regina's spine.

When the two left to get the others something to eat, Regina leaned over, "We really need to keep an eye on them."

"Her father's convinced he just wants to be her friend."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be VERY close friends," Regina muttered.

Maleficent rolled her eyes, "Not the weirdest thing to happen."

"Probably not, but they're my son and daughter too, I don't want them smoozing under the bleachers or something."

"Smoozing?"

Regina rolled her eyes, "Henry uses the word. I picked it up from him."

"One might think you're loosening up by using words like that."

"Don't be absurd," Regina looked down to Emma and Rumple, "Emma came out of your room this morning."

"Yeah."

"Was it good?"

"Not as good as you, but she's getting better."

Regina was satisfied with that, "WAnt to meet tonight? Remind you how good it REALLY is, sometimes?"

"You wives are so insatiable," Maleficent teased, "But I'm not one to talk. Sure, you're more than welcome

Regina took her hand.

"You know, it was one of the happiest moments of my life when you decided to stay with us," Maleficent told her.

"Really?"

"Of course," Maleficent told her, "You're my wife and my best friend. I love you."

Regina suspected she did, but hearing it made her grab her wife and kiss her passionately. She'd spent her life thinking no one could possibly love her again, not like Daniel did. and now she had a husband and wife at least that told her they did.

And a son.

The other wives were varied on the subject.

"Kiss me like that again, we won't have to wait till tonight."

"Oh don't be ridiculous, not now of all times!" Regina settled in, "Our son is playing today."

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The team lost 12-1. Henry was the only one that hit the home run. It couldn't have been Rumple's doing, he had both hands in Belle's and Emma's.

But that didn't stop Regina.

"You'll get 'em next time, buddy," Baelfire promised his son as they all left together.

"He's the only one on the team worth anything," Cruella stared at her phone to see if there were any messages.

"Still," Emma said, "We're going to Granny's and celebrating."

"Celebrating that we lost?"

"Celebrating that you hit a home run."

"Maybe I didn't, maybe one of you helped me."

"Or maybe you're just good," Regina said a little too quickly and ushered her son along, "Come on, you have homework after dinner."

He groaned went went to get into the many cars that brought the family over.

Emma saw someone coming at them out of the corner of her eye, "Hey."

Everyone stopped and looked to see a woman striding up to them. Emma didn't recognize her, but her parents, her husband and her wives certainly did.

"Ursula darling," Cruella said with an easy smile, "It's been too long."


	18. Chapter 18

Everyone stood there awkwardly as Ursula and Cruella stared each other down. Regina would later say they eyesexed all over the little league field. They looked each other over and both seemed satisfied when Ursula first spoke, "When I last saw you, you refused to feel guilty about leaving a baby behind in the woods to die."

"You left her too," Cruella told her.

"But I went to find help."

"So no hard feelings then," Cruella smirked and gestured, "Lily, meet the other worst person who handled you."

Lily balked uncomfortably and went to go elsewhere. Bae stood there for a second before he went after her. Maleficent didn't hesitate before she went after her daughter as well.

"How's the marriage?" Ursula asked.

"Perfect. How was refusing it?"

"Not marrying a man I didn't love? Free."

"Are you really?" Cruella mocked, "Free to go anywhere you want?"

Ursula's unemotional face fell to show a seething mask, "I came to tell you something."

"Obviously, you have no reason to be here anyway."

"The pirate's been running around the coast, causing all sorts of problems. He's babbling insanity."

"Why should we care?" Rumple asked.

"Because he's saying something along the lines of how this...present...as in past/present/future, isn't what actually happens. He says none of you are supposed to be married."

"That's impossible," Belle said.

"Pirate's sinking really low this time to try and get under my skin," Rumpelstiltskin muttered and went to usher his wives away.

Cruella stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say or do. Ursula brought this to them, was it just to deliver the rantings of a maniac or was there something more? She felt a stirring inside her, it'd never been a healthy relationship. One wouldn't be surprised when two of the queens of darkness were involved in a relationship."

Cruella watched the two of them start to leave, "Are you going to stay?"

"Maybe, I dunno."

"How did you get in?"

"That magical dragon egg has other uses than just leaving us at a certain age."

Cruella glanced at the retreating family she married into, "Meet you for breakfast?"

"Sure. You paying? Most of my paycheck goes to fish food at my apartment."

Cruella felt herself relax, "Sure. I'll pay."

Then again, when it came to consequences, she always did.

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Rumplestiltskin's mind was in a buzz as Emma got herself ready for their evening together at the vanity. She wore a pink slip of a nighty that he didn't see the purpose of when it'd be coming off in about twenty minutes.

"You're quiet," Emma said as she brushed her hair, "Lot on your mind?"

"Always a lot on my mind. Even more now than usual."

Emma went to turn, "So Ursula's back."

"That she is."

"She's not exactly what I expected. I expected...bigger"

"You have to stop seeing us as Disney movie characters."

"Some of you aren't. You're not."

"Yet. Give it time though."

"Are You worried Cruella's going to have a thing with Ursula?"

"It wouldn't bother me, they had a thing going when I married her. But you know the rule, if I can have multiple partners, there's nothing stopping any of you from doing the same."

"Do you think she was right about Hook?"

"Lets talk about something more pleasant."

"What?" Emma laughed, "You don't believe we're all actually from another universe or something?"

"I don't know what game he's playing at but I wish he would stop, it's frightfully tiring."

Emma stood up and went to go to the bed, "I"m sure it'll come to fruition eventually."

"Indeed," he went to touch his wife's leg as she straddled his lap and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her, trapping her against him, "Why didn't you pick him?"

"Huh?"

"I was always curious, you could have multiple lovers as you very well know, why don't you branch out when you have others vying for your attention?"

Emma was quiet for a few moments, she toyed with his hair, "I'd thought about it. I mean they were both fighting over me, which is why I think I'd originally had wishes to just take the third option...but I knew that if I took either one of them on….it'd hurt our relationship. And I married you, so you have to come first"

"Not many people have done that in my life. Not even my own father did that."

"You have wives that will," Emma told him in determination, "I'm one of them."

He reached up and brushed her hair back, "I don't deserve any of you."

"Most of us don't deserve what we have, and we're lucky every day that we have, I guess," Emma caressed his face.

"You deserve a better spouse than me."

"Or maybe you're just right for me," she argued. Yeah, he was older, and she was on her way to loving him. They did have a strong fondness for the other and for now that worked. She was happy with him, she had a family with him. It was just...far more than she knew what to do with.'

"Anyway, I do have another spouse," Emma teased and kissed him, "Maleficent."

"Ah yes, she's certainly fond of you."

"Well naturally," Emma teased, "I"m adorable."

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Rumplestiltskin lay next to his wife until she was asleep before he slipped out of bed, pulled on his discarded pajamas, and walked outside. He couldn't sleep, his tossing and turning would bother Emma, so he went for a walk.

Something stirred in him about what Ursula was saying about Hook. It didn't make sense that it would. He didn't understand why it might be bothering him. When the pirate sailed away, he thought i'd be forever. Was he so desperate and jealous that now he was saying that a universe in which Emma didn't choose him couldn't possibly be real?

Insane.

So why was it bothering him? WAs it because he didn't want his reputation ruined by Hook saying it wasn't real and possibly implicating that maybe he was changing things? Ursula hadn't said anything about Hook believing it was Rumple's fault...but it was Hook, he was probably finding ways to blame every bad thing happening in all 24 magical worlds on him.

He found Cruella on the porch, she was smoking again, she had her cigarette in a long holder. She glanced at him and didn't even look guilty, "Mal would roast me if I had this inside near Belle and Henry."

"Probably," he leaned on the doorway, "I'm surprised you're still here tonight."

"Well...when 28 years pass and one leaves another because of a baby they left to die, it's very hard to pick up where one left off," Cruella muttered.

"How do you feel about her being back?"

Cruella scoffed, "How do you feel about the possibility that the pirate is back?"

"I hate it."

"I hate it too," Cruella took another puff, "And love it as well.

"You're a bundle of complicated feelings," he mocked.

"I hate it," she muttered again.

"I know the two of you were close-," he started

"As close as someone like me can be with someone I suppose," Cruella said.

"If she's back," he stared, "If you wanted to leave, I would understand."

"I would upset the balance if I divorced you," Cruella teased and took another drag, "Who would all of you hate?"

"I don't hate you."

"They do."

"They hate what you did. Not you."

"Yes, what 'I' did. No one remembers that Ursula left her too. It's always 'me' and 'what I did'."

"You're the one married to us, of course people are going to hold you more responsible."

"Maybe I will divorce you."

He sighed, he was too tired to play this game, "Maybe you will. I won't fight you. Not because I don't want you, but because I've grown tired of chasing after women that don't want me."

Cruella sighed and rolled her eyes, "You know I really wouldn't do it."

"Of course not," He muttered with a bit of sadness in his voice, "It would mean taking a heavy loss to your needs and wants."

"And I've grown fond of you and the others," Cruella said after a moment of silence.

Rumple wished that was more comforting than it was. But he knew Cruella's idea of fondness was probably the way a child would be fond of a pet or toy, "That's comforting."

Cruella scoffed and put out her cigarette. She stood and went to brush a hand down his arm as she passed, "And besides, me staying pisses Regina off."

"Well, I"m sure someone has to keep her challenged," he put a hand on her back as she passed.

"Why aren't you in bed with the younger blonde? Is she not wearing you out like the young wife should?"

"Couldn't sleep, was scared of losing you."

"Your taste in women is odd," Cruella muttered, "Mal, Regina, Belle, the other other blonde. I used to be blonde you know."

"You've told me."

"And I gave it up to look fabulous."

"I'm sure that's exactly what happened."

She stopped outside her room and turned to him, "I could start something with Ursula, you know."

"You could. No one would think less of you."

"More than they already do?" she mocked, "Of course they would. I'd be scouting outside the marriage."

"So has Maleficent."

"And she regrets it."

He didn't want to be reminded, "You can be your own person, you don't HAVE to be like the others."

"Of course not darling," Cruella said and slipped inside her room, "Then it wouldn't be any fun."

He shook his head as she shut her door. He supposed things would be easier if she did leave, but he couldn't just kick her out. She was his wife, he made vows. She wanted to stay, he couldn't turn her away.

And she at least made things entertaining.

He went back to Emma's room and slipped into bed. He drew closer and wrapped his arms around her. Emma groaned and went to press her back against his chest, "Where'd you go?"

"Walk," he kissed her cheek, "Go back to sleep."

"Hmm," Emma buried her face in the pillow. She rubbed his arm, "Wake me up when hte next catastrophe happens."

He thought about Hook again and felt his heart pounding in his chest, "And God willing, that's a long uninterrupted sleep."


	19. Chapter 19

Cruella had accepted from childhood that she was a horrible person and decided to like it. Identity crisis that people suffered through their whole lives was never an issue for her when she had it all figured out for herself when she was eight years old. it wasn't her fault that no one else catered to their most basic instinct. It wasn't her fault that Ursula left her when Ursula KNEW what sort of person she was.

Cruella had only signed up to guard the cave until the egg hatched. Even her going to go get the baby back was something she agreed to do. She NEVER agreed to look after the kid after falling through a portal. No one in thier right mind would want her as a parent, she'd done the right thing….for her. But at least it was the right thing for _someone. _

Ursula didn't get to get self righteous. Ursula left her too and relied on strangers to do the dirty work. How was that remotely better?

Cruella decided that that was going to be her argument as she wore her best makeup and clothes (Not that she remotely cared about Ursula anymore) and went to Grannys. The hashbrowns were a little toasty, the eggs were runny like usual, and so Cruella poked at the food and avoided the eyes of her ex as they sat across from her.

Naturally Ursula didn't look her best. That's what happened, she supposed, when one broke up with someone like Cruella and went to live in New York.

"You look tired," Ursula noted, "Husband responsible for that?"

"Husband was with the savior. I was kept up because you're back and telling us that Hook's telling stories."

"Well, he's a pirate, that's what they do."

Not that Cruella was worried about the pirate. She'd turn him into a coat if he threatened her life here. Even Rumple would beg her to wear it sometimes. But she needed Hook as an excuse so Ursula wouldn't think she lost sleep because of her. Which she DIDN'T.

"Indeed. And you came all the way here to tell us about him."

"I was bored."

"Make it up with your father, yet?"

"No."

"Then how did you get in?"

"I still have my contacts under the sea. They brought me here"

That mental image was hilarious, "You must be an expert at holding your breath then."

"One has to be to sit near you with those furs sometimes."

"My furs are always clean and smelling springtime fresh, I"ll have you know!" Cruella snapped and then sniffed, "And still, what do you care? Unless you wanted to see me again."

"I had a three day weekend, I was bored."

Cruella felt a tingling in her belly that she couldn't explain. She didn't care, she didn't want Ursula permanently if it meant compromising everything she worked for. She was second wife to the most powerful man in Storybrooke. Despite what others said about her being equal with the other wives, they were wrong. 2nd wife meant something.

But she couldn't ignore that feeling there, there was SOMETHING she could have. Something all on her own that she didn't have to share with the other wives.

She'd gotten over her feelings for Ursula and her abandonment of her, and she didn't exactly want her completely back, but she couldn't say she didn't want a bit of fun before Ursula went back to cleaning fish feces from tanks.

"Want to make it a week?"

"I do have to get back" Ursula told her.

"We'll make a day of it then."

"You want to jump right into that and not talk about anything else?"

"Talking is for those that are staying and clearly you are not staying."

"No, you abandon babies."

"Oh, this again," Cruella muttered, "You did it too remember? And you left it to strangers to do our dirty work."

"Was it better to leave a newborn baby to die?"

"No, but you are hardly as guiltless as I am. Just because Mal and I are married to the same man doesn't make me more responsible than you in what we decided to do. But I've certainly bore the brunt of it for quite a few months now while you get to live comfortable in New York and not having your entire married family hating you."

"You mean the family that would probably be dead by now if you got the chance?"

"Killing them would be illogical, even if I could," Cruella told her like she clearly had no idea what she was talking about, "I wouldn't gain anything if I could kill them. My mother gained the estates of my father and stepfathers, which I would've eventually got and did get for a time. But I'm second wife. I don't get anything if RUmple dies unless he left me something….and if I killed Mal and became first wife, they'd know. So no, if it was within my power, I wouldn't kill them. It wouldn't be financially advisable."

"Do you even hear yourself?"

"Of course darling, I'm not deaf. But I also remember you never really cared what I was until you got pulled into this little mess personally yourself, which the pirate you came to tattle on would say was 'bad form'"

"Oh that- ."

"No, you can brag that you gave help to Lily when she was a child but then you disappeared with no address and no place to find you until much later when I was already….well….hard to say I was legally married when I'm not even a resident of this world. But I have been cleaning up our mess for a very long time by myself. You don't just get to come in and accuse me of what we did when I'm finally finding forgiveness with my family. Now I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but we got Lily back, and we're trying to fix it. If you want to stay for a great fun weekend, then by all means. But if you do, then we certainly do NOT talk about what happened. I've been constantly talking about what happened for months, and I'm sick of it."

She felt incredibly satisfied with herself (That wasn't hard though) as she got up and left the diner.

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Rumple couldn't get the thought that Hook might be working to ruin his happiness and his family out of his head. He should think it petty, he should think it pathetic. Emma made her choice after he offered. He did not force her, he did not manipulate her, that was just how it was.

Anything to get under his skin.

But news about the pirate wasn't first and foremost on his mind. His daughter was. Ursula coming back had sent her off with Maleficent chasing her. Mal had told him he wasn't needed but now she was asking for him there. He did it without question, he knew this was hard He knew his daughter was coming to terms with a lot of things. They weren't remotely close yet, but she needed him.

Maleficent opened the door as soon as he knocked. Her eyes looked like he'd been crying. HE cringed, he shouldn't have listened to her that she was fine and gone home, "Is it bad?"

"Ursula coming here and Cruella's handling of it just opened up a lot of wounds we were in the process of closing," Maleficent let him in.

Rumple took in the sparse room and saw his daughter curled up on the window seat. She stared out the window. He squeezed his wife's hand and went to sit on the window seat beside her, "Hey."

"Glad to see you finally showed up," she said bitterly

"I was told you just wanted to be with your mother."

"Yeah, you'd rather just go with the wife that left me in the woods."

"No, I went with the girl you had as a friend when you were both 14."

"That's sick." '

"Welcome to Storybrooke," he told her, "And I didn't think you wanted to see me."

"Well you thought wrong."

"You've ignored me and insulted me, Lily. I didn't know you wanted me, I"m not a mind reader."

"One of the powers you apparently don't have."

"Foresight's enough of a pain in the backside."

"It didn't save _me." _

"No it didn't," He replied honestly, "And I'm sorry for that. I'd have saved you if i'd known."

He could never save his children, could he? They just fell in portals or ate poisoned apple turnovers and no matter what he did, he couldn't save them.

"Lily, don't shut us out," he whispered. He watched his daughter wrap her arms around her legs tightened, "Lily-."

"I just...I just wanted move past it," she whispered, "But how can I when it gets plopped in my face every time I go near the family."

"The thing with Cruella &amp; Ursula, it won't happen again. It certainly shouldn't have happened in the first place."

"You can't promise that."

"No," Maleficent said, "It WON'T happen again."

"Still," Lily snapped and glared out the window.

"What do you want me to do, Lily? How do I make this better?"

Lily looked like she was about to snap at him, but stopped and shrugged, "I don't know."

At least she wasn't kicking him out of the room.

"Would you like me to stay?" he at least asked.

"Yeah," Lily said, "I would."

"Good," He adjusted his position a bit, "Then we'll stay."

The room was plunged into awkward silence.


	20. Chapter 20

"It's one step forward and two steps back," Maleficent told her husband as they spent the evening together in their room. They had an hour before dinner, they'd taken advantage of the time. They stayed with Lily until she'd fallen asleep and they tucked her in, a small thing they didn't realize they'd miss and went home to be with each other.

"It's just a work in progress," he trailed his fingertips down her bare arm, "We knew this wouldn't be easy."

"I was hoping I was just preparing for the worst while hoping for the best when we discussed that all those years ago."

"And we still didn't account for this."

"No we didn't," Maleficent said sadly.

"Do you think she'll leave?" Rumple asked, his voice broke a bit at the thought. She'd just let him in a bit a few hours previous, he couldn't bear to have that and lose her.

"I don't want her to, but she might if it becomes too much," Maleficent's eyes filled with tears, "And URsula being here...and Cruella being Cruella, it might be too much."

"I know," he said, "Perhaps Ursula won't stay long."

"Maybe," Maleficent muttered, "She'll stir the pot and she'll go home, here's hoping."

"Cruella said earlier that she told her off and left. She was quite proud of herself for doing so, maybe she'll think Cruella's not worth the trouble and Lily doesn't have to look at yet another person that failed her."

"That might make Cruella unhappy."

He lay back and sighed, "Yeah, I know."

God, what a mess.

"Would you be unhappy if she left?" Maleficent asked.

"Yes," he said it without hesitating. He hadn't been married to Cruella as long as he had Maleficent….and because of curse shenanigans, not as long as Regina either, but they'd spent years together. He didn't want to just toss that away.

Maleficent was quiet, "It'd be weird if she left. Everything wouldn't feel right."

"We have a balance that works."

"And we didn't before?" Maleficent asked.

Oh, that was a trap WAITING to happen. He drew in a breath and told her very truthfully, "If it'd just been you I was married to, I"d never have regretted it."

"Not even if Belle had entered the picture?"

"I would never have looked at her twice," he stroked her face, "Do you have regrets? That we have more than one wife now?" '

She thought for a moment, "No. It's built us up a good support system. I just miss the days I had you all to myself sometimes."

"I miss those days too, you're forming relationships with my wives faster than I did."

Maleficent smirked and kissed him, "So the pirate is causing trouble again."

Rumple frowned, "Indeed he is."

"That's all he's doing, Rumple. Trying to get under your skin."

"He gets under my skin. I don't fancy the idea that anyone would think my wives married me unwillingly," he said, "Emma's parents already feel uncomfortable with the whole arrangement anyway. I don't want them to pick up wind of that. And I certainly don't want anyone to use it as ammunition. Henry has enough trouble feeling like he fits in. I don't want people to think his mother was somehow forced to marry me."

"He can do nothing to you, we're family, he hates that," Maleficent went to kiss him.

"He can do something to any of YOU and that's what I worry about." He didn't want the town turning against him for something that this time, he didn't do.

He didn't want it getting into his wives subconscious to start trouble either.

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"So what's the story between you and Lily?"

Bae looked up as he and Emma walked behind Henry on the way to his school. He'd been expecting it, he knew that the rest of the family was talking. He knew the rest of the town had speculations. There was nothing to do so people had plenty of time to sit around and imagine things, 'There's nothing going on with me and Lily."

"You two seem close." Emma kicked a can they passed.

"You jealous?"

"No," Emma said quickly, but she felt some unease in her belly. She and Bae were done and they were trying to be co parents. But she still loved him. She'd accepted a long time ago that that love would still be there. it would never go away. But she wasn't ready to try again with him. And then Rumple had come along and now….

"She's my sister, Emma. I"ve never had one before."

"I guess you could sort of say you had a sister for 29 years….you just didn't know about her…."

He chuckled, "Well, I suppose you could say that. But she's my sister, Emma. I have a sister that's just that. Everyone else is so...twisted as far as family goes. How rare is it that I just…..have a sibling?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"You sound jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Emma protested. She had a very very good life now and she was happy.

"Well, you sound it," he told her.

"How is Lily with the Ursula thing?"

"I dunno, she hasn't talked much other than one or two words about it. She's not happy they're converging again, I can tell you that much."

"Not sure a lot of people are," Emma kicked the can, "I think most everyone's just sort of hoping she goes away and nothing else comes about this Hook thing."

She saw Bae visibly tense at the mention of his one time rival and man that sold him out to Pan, "And you? Do you want something to come out of it with him?"

Emma knew this could start an argument, she knew it was just like waltzing into a trap waiting to happen, "I love you, you know that. And I cared for Hook."

"But you married my father."

"Yes," Emma said in a tone that said she didn't want to argue about this anymore, "For a number of reasons. None of them against you."

"I know," he said after a few moments of silence and watched Henry, "He seems happier though. After you married him."

"He is," Emma put her hand on his arm, "And he's happier because you're in his life."

"I don't get to do much. It was my father that got to see everything...got to experience everything that I missed because of what I did to you."

Emma didn't want to think about that, she knew he regretted it with everything and she forgave him but it still hurt.

"You get to balance your father out. YOu get to be the father that...is the opposite of what Gold was to him growing up. It wasn't all happiness and rainbows, you know. And there was something missing in Henry's life until you came long."

"You too," Neal pointed out.

Emma knew that was true. But she didn't want to think about it because that meant acknowledging what Regina put Henry through and it'd make her angry all over again. She rested her head on Neal's shoulder, "Yeah, me too I suppose."

"Emma," he whispered and turned to her, "No matter what...I'm glad you're happy."

Emma felt a small smile grace her lips, "And I'm glad you're here."

"And I'm glad this is all very touching," they heard a familiar voice sneering.

They both turned around to see a familiar face, "Hook."

He gave that grin, "What? No welcome party?"


	21. Chapter 21

Emma stood there staring at Hook for what felt like an eternity. He was here, that was fast. Emma knew that he'd probably show up eventually with a story like this but she didn't think it'd be that fast.

"What are you doing here?" Neal asked.

"Can't I visit old friends?"

"You left," Neal accused.

"And why do you think that was?" Hook raised an eyebrow, "I'm surprised you didn't make a bigger fuss. Your first love and your father. Surely that'd be the most ultimate betrayal."

Neal jerked as if he was hit, "What goes on with me and this family was none of your business.."

"Actually it is my business, it's why I'm here. I've come onto some information regarding-."

"Your claims that Rumple forced me somehow into a marriage. Yeah, we know. We heard," Emma averted her eyes.

Hook looked disappointed that they both seemed to know what he was saying ahead of time, "Who told you?"

"What do you think you're doing, Hook?" Neal asked.

"Trying to save a poor maiden from a beastie as far as the fairy tales go."

"First of all, he's not a beast. He's my husband and even if I had a problem, I wouldn't need saving from anyone, I take care of myself."

"He is a beast," Hook reached into his satchel. He pulled out a book from the satchel he was carrying. Emma's eyes grew when she saw that it looked like Henry's book, "I found this in a vault of a castle."

"That's my son's book," Neal accused.

Emma took it from him and thumbed through it, "It's not his book."

"What?"

Emma showed him an illustration of herself in an admittedly beautiful red dress standing next to Hook in a ballroom. It looked like the Enchanted Forest ballroom but that had to be impossible because Emma never WENT to the Enchanted Forest except with her mother.

And there was never any balls she attended.

"That is you," Neal muttered.

"No it's not," Emma closed the book and handed it back to Hook, "So you can find someone who can write and draw pictures. Big deal. It hardly means anything."

"You married Rumplestiltskin, you have to admit that goes against everything you are."

"As opposed to being with you," Neal muttered.

"Or you."

"I'm not going to be the rope in your tug of war contest," Emma said and gestured to the book, "Come on and take it."

"No, read it. I think you'll be interested in what it has to say."

"I'm not."

"It could open your eyes like it opened mine."

"Oh so what, you have memories now?"

"No, but I'm not lying when I say I found it. You're not married in this, Emma. And there's no way Rumple didn't have anything to do with something sick like marrying his son's first love."

"Says the guy that wanted me and didn't care I was his late love's son's baby's mother," Emma muttered.

Hook flinched, "That's was cruel, you didn't have to bring her into this."

"And you didn't have to come back with fake books to try and break up my marriage."

"It's not _fake!" _he raged, "You never wanted to be married to him. Something happened to make you think you did and he was responsible for it."

"I don't want to hear this," Emma shook her head, "I'm not."

"I'm trying to help you."

"I didn't ask for help," Emma snapped and went to walk away, "You're not going to break up my marriage, you're not going to get me to yourself just….just go back to where you came from."

Hook scoffed, "Is that what you think this is?"

"Just GO!" Emma shouted and walked away. She let the book fall from her hands and ignored it when Bae bent down to pick it up.

"Emma…"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Emma."

"I said I don't want to talk about it," Emma told him and walked faster.

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"This is ridiculous," Maleficent muttered and looked at her husband. Dinner had been cleared hours ago, the other wives were in bed and Henry was asleep as well.

"You don't have to stay up if you don't want

"No," Maleficent sighed, "She's my wife and he's my son too. I just didn't think your wife and full grown son wouldn't make us sit up late like they're teenagers staying up past curfew."

Rumple gave a bit of a chuckle, "Didn't think you'd end up being wife and parent to other wives, huh?"

Maleficent gave a smirk, "Oddly enough when one's wife is Cruella, it's not surprising that that's the first thing I expected."

He grinned and took her hand.

"Why are we staying up for Emma and Bae?" Maleficent asked.

"It's not what you think it is," Rumple said, "It's not anything like insecurity or jealousy…."

"THere'd be nothing wrong if you felt those things."

"But there is something wrong with marrying your son's child's mother."

"Some might think," Maleficent teased.

"It's not jealousy or insecurity. It's….everything. This town is insane. A villain pops in every couple of months, our daughter is back, Ursula is back, Cruella and you and I are in the middle of that. Belle's having a baby...and it's all our first baby together….Regina's surprisingly not doing anything stressful for us, HEnry's having a hard time fitting in and Emma wants to find her place in this family. I just...I want them safe. I want them home. I don't know how much more this family can take."

The door opened, Emma stormed through so fast, Rumple nearly swore he imagined her. Bae followed with Henry's book in his hand.

"Bae?" Maleficent said.

"I think….I think Emma needs you," He told Maleficent.

Maleficent stood up. She put her hand on his shoulder as she passed.

Rumple watched as Bae leaned on the wall, "What a week."

"Every week is a week," Rumple told him.

"Yeah," Bae whispered, "Hook uh...he's back."

The news sent a jolt through Rumple. He didn't want to think about the implications of the trouble HOok could cause but he immediately went there. Hook hurt them every time he appeared in town. First Milah, then the Neerland thing and now this?

Was he going to risk losing more family because of that scumbag? He couldn't lose Emma. Not when she had so much trouble just fitting in.

He was panicking but he kept his face unemotional, "Oh."

"He had this," Bae walked in and held out the book.

Rumple started to grow angry, "Why does he have Henry's book?"

"It's not Henry's book. It looks the same but it's not. he's using it as proof of what he's saying."

"He's saying I somehow made Emma marry me. That I used her against her will and you're bringing that thing into my house-."

"Papa," Bae started and walked into the room. He sat down across from him and put the book between them, "I don't...have many memories of mom. I have...a few that aren't complete crap of you and her. I know how it ended...and while mom was...mom you shouldn't have killed her."

"I know," Rumple looked down.

"And the fact that Emma...and Belle...and these three other women are married to you after what you did…that terrifies me"

He flinched, "I know."

"But I also know that you wouldn't make any woman be married to you that didn't want to be."

"I used to beg your mother to stay."

"You never made her stay. You never made her be married to you."

"Her parents did. The spinsters did because they wanted to make sure I was taken care of before they passed ."

"We'll have the discussion about mom for another day," Bae said, "I believe Hook is lying or that he's delusional and believes our present is some sort of lie...but I believe Emma willingly married you…"

He looked hurt as he said that, Rumple felt guilt constrict his chest.

"So, we are going to read this," BAe said and opened the cover, "Because I don't want there to be any doubt that this is reality...and if we're wrong...then we need to tell people."

Rumple nodded, "Let's get started then."


	22. Chapter 22

They stayed up until about three in the morning. The book was...extraordinary. If he didn't know any better, he'd almost swear it was real. The writing style was the same, the artistic illustrations matched when he ran a magical experiment to test it….

But he knew better, he knew THIS was their live. He knew _this _was real.

So then where did this book come from? Hook couldn't possibly have made it...and it wasn't like he could copy it when Henry had the book here all this time. So what happened? Did whatever or whoever wrote this thing have their own little piece of fiction going on? What happened if he didn't have five wives?

How dull.

He finally had enough and sent his son to bed. He opened his own door to his first wife's room and found Maleficent asleep with Emma. His heart broke at the way Emma was curled around her. She'd taken this news hard, even if it was fake it would be hard to hear that her husband might've manipulated things to marry her.

Her manipulative husband may have manipulated things. How could she trust him deep down knowing what she knew about him? What he was capable of?

Maleficent lifted her head, "Hey."

"Hey," he sat down and went to take off his shoes, "She okay?"

"Yeah, we talked before she fell asleep in here."

"She doesn't believe it, right?" He slipped out of his pants and removed his tie.

"Of course not, but that doesn't make it any less difficult to hear."

He put his cuff links in the bowl and finished undressing. He pulled the covers back and slipped into the bed and put his arms around his sleeping wife, "I don't want to lose anything in my life, Maleficent. I love all of you. I love my wives and my sons and the baby Belle's going to have. I even like my in-laws, though they don't exactly feel the same about me. This is my life, I'm happy, but I would never…..I would never do that to you. Any of you."

"I know," Maleficent told him, "You don't have to keep claiming that, RUmple. We all know."

"I'm an awful person. I'm a monster. I accepted that and the fact five women wanted to stay married to me is a miracle in on itself when in the past, no one wanted to. But I could never do _that." _

"I know. I'm the one married to you longest, remember?"

"Well...Regina was too-"

"Regina was married to Gold, not you. I know you better than you know yourself sometimes. Remember early on in our marriage? Between bouts of passion, you would knock to get into the room? Remember how with Belle and Emma, you were sooo awkward when they were around? Remember with Regina you were so conflicted with her and….well everything about her and your relationship with her. That's not a man that would force women to marry him because he wanted to have...it all...with five very different women."

Rumple reached over and touched his wife's face, "I love you."

"I love you too," she kissed his wrist.

He stroked her face and went to wrap his arm around Emma again, "I don't like the idea of the pirate hounding after her again."

"Well don't turn him into anything to step on him, you know how the hero wives hate that sort of thing."

"It'd make things a lot easier."

"I can't exactly turn into a dragon and eat him either, can I?"

"Hero wives hate that sort of thing," he teased a bit.

"Should have thought about that before I started sleeping with two of your wives, I guess."

Rumple was quiet, "I don't want him sniffing around and hurting her."

"Hurting her? Or hurting you?"

Rumple was quiet. Hook had a history of running off with his significant other. He didn't want his younger beautiful wife falling for the younger pirate and leaving him Not when they were making sense of the relationship and starting to make some headway, "Both. I want what's best for her, but she's part of my family and I have to protect my family. It's obviously my thing. I can't think I'll lose her. If I do….and if I try too hard not to lose her then that'll drive her away. "

"Hm," Maleficent wrapped her arm around Emma and sighed, "You have a long day tomorrow with as little sleep as you have."

Rumple wrapped his arm over his wife to hold both of them and went to sleep.

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"Emma wasn't in her room last night."

Regina looked up from her breakfast of eggs and toast and bacon as she took in Cruella, "Bit early for gossiping, don't you think?"

"It's never too early for gossiping, darling," Cruella sat down and nudged her, "She was in the bedroom with Maleficent. On Rumple's night...and Rumple was in there too. Now I know our husband is a beast in the bed but I never thought of him as someone that could handle two wild women at the same time."

"How would you know they're wild?" Regina snapped.

"Well, I know you can tell me how Maleficent is but you quite haven't gotten around to EMma yet. poor thing."

"You and I are not friends."

"No double blonde latte for you," Cruella mocked and leaned in.

"Go away!" Regina smacked her with the newspaper.

"They didn't three it up," Belle muttered as she came downstairs looking miserable, "I went in to see them and they were all dressed."

"Ha!" Regina smirked, "No blonde latte threesomes for you to vicariously live through to make up for your own lack of a love life."

"Maybe they did it and were….so tired they got cold," Cruella muttered.

Regina rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

"What's a blonde latte threesome?" Henry asked as he came down the stairs.

"It's when two wo-," Cruella started

"Nothing, it's nothing," Regina snapped and smacked Cruella again just for good measure.

"Not so loud please," Belle muttered and put her face against the table.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked.

"Morning sickness is a real pain, I hear," Regina said.

"Might want to ask Emma about that," Cruella said, "Maleficent too but she spewed fire instead of early morning eggrolls."

Belle gave a bit of a glare, "I'm going back to bed."

"No," Regina poured her some orange juice, "TAke that, it's good for you."

"Since when do you care?"

"Because it's my son or daughter too in there and you're my wife and….teamwork or whatever."

"You didn't care when you locked me up for over 30 years."

"You weren't my wife then," Regina shrugged.

"I sort of was…."

"Noooope, I was married to Mr. Gold. YOu were not, And don't give me that look," she protested when Belle gave her that kicked puppy look, "We weren't both until Emma broke the curse."

"Can we NOT deal with technicalities so early?" Emma asked as she came down stairs flanked by Maleficent and Rumple, "And before coffee!"

"Hey honey," Rumple wrapped her arms around Belle, he buried his face in her neck, "Long night?"

"Long morning and it's not even begun."

"Morning sickness will do that," Emma said.

"Uggghhh," Maleficent said in agreement

"You don't have to go into work today," Rumple rubbed Belle's arm.

"Who'll run the library then? I can't let it be closed," Belle took a sip of the orange juice.

"I'm worried about you."

"I sit down all day and read, there's nothing I can do here that I can't do there."

"I'm getting you a more comfortable chair then," Rumple said, "And checking in on you."

"It's just morning sickness"

"He's never really dealt with real morning sickness before," Maleficent told Belle, "This is all new to you and it's new to him, it's sort of new to all of us."

Emma took a large drink of her coffee and sighed, "Hook's back, and he's saying things, how are we going to handle it? I don't want my parents hearing anything remotely like that. Getting them to accept this is hard enough"

"Or Lily," Maleficent said, "Things are dysfunctional enough."

Regina sighed, "CAn't we just go back to how it was before Ursula and Hook waltzed in? Can't we just go back to that?"

"We will," Emma stood up and rubbed her son's shoulders, "Time to go, kid."

"You didn't eat!" Belle scolded.

"Later," Emma gave her son his jacket, "We're running late."

"I'm coming with you," Belle stood up.

"You know, I work hard on breakfast," Regina yelled after them.

"No you don't, you magic it half the time."

Regina rolled her eyes, "Whatever, I'll come too. Have fun cleaning up the rest of this mess, you ungrateful swine!"

Rumple waved his hand and the dishes were done.

"Did we even get any plan in place?" Cruella said, "Because Emma seems to be taking off as soon as the pirate got mentioned."

Rumple bristled at that, "Figure out what you want with Ursula, and if you decide not to do anything with her then get her on the first trip out of here. You and I, Maleficent, we're going to go to Lily and pray that whatever rumors in town are things she's somehow avoided."

"This would be so much easier if you weren't sleeping with two hero wives." Maleficent said and buttoned your jacket

"You're sleeping with one of them too, don't judge me."


	23. Chapter 23

The car ride was tense between Henry, Emma, Belle and Regina. Emma wanted to keep quiet until her son was out of earshot. Henry asked once if everything was okay. They confirmed they were and he settled back down.

Emma drove her son to school and sighed when he was gone, "What a mess."

"We need to tell him what's going on before he hears about it from anyone else, he's already getting teased for our family," Belle told them

"I know," Emma ran a hand through her hair.

"What are you even being so pissy about?" Regina demanded, "The pirate was lying. HOw do i know? He's a pirate who hates our husband. Rumple would never do what he's accusing him of."

"I know that!"

"Then why are you acting like this?"

"Because….." Emma sighed, "Rumple wouldn't willingly manipulate us to marry him. Okay? I know that. But what if the rest of it is right? What if this isn't actually our reality?"

"You're talking crazy"

"You and I are married! I married all of you! Why would I do that?"

"Because you wanted to take the third option that wasn't Bae and Hook, it would make our family complete, and you subconsciously wanted to explore your bisexual tendencies."

"That's what I'm told but I don't remember the reason. I don't remember why I would agree to marry a man with four other wives. Maybe I had a lot of reasons, but what if it's mostly true? What if we had something else?"

"Does it really matter?" REgina asked, "You're safe, you have a family. Henry's happy. You get all the sex you can want and the stability of a man and his four other wives. What more could you want?"

"I want to know the truth"

"Like I said, does it matter? What happens if you find out we were all just put together? ARe you going to leave us? Break our family apart? You know when we discussed bringing you into the family, remember how hard I fought against it? I'm actually liking you now. You going to ruin that?"

"You just want in my pants."

"Yeah? so? YOu're my wife! As long as your name's not Cruella, I want in your pants" she looked in the rearview mirror, "Sorry Belle."

"What? No….it's...sort of flattering, I guess, "Belle muttered.

"Anyway, I just don't see what different it makes. WE're a family, we stay together. We finally have one that doesn't constantly abuse and manipulate us in some way and you're thinking about throwing all that away?"

"I didn't say I'd throw it away," Emma said defensively, "And you should know a lot about abuse and manipulation."

The car went dead silent. Belle paled and Regina glared out the window. She was thinking of a lot of things and excuses to fire back with but then she remembered that she didn't have a leg to stand on. Saying you were abused and manipulated by others only went so far when you were talking to the person whose life you actively ruined.

"I'm trying to be a better person."

Emma was quiet, "I know. I'm sorry"

"I know it bothers you that we have a long way to go before we think about doing something about being married, but I'm trying to change and part of that is because I want to be a better wife and mother."

"Okay"

"Because I want you to forgive me and maybe one day we can be our own couple we are with Maleficent."

"That's still a bit aways"

"Maybe but I'm still reigning myself in because I want to try a relationship someday"

"Well, you do have a thing for blondes," Emma muttered.

"Brunettes too apparently," Regina sent a smirk at Belle who blushed, "But seriously Emma. You have a family, what does it matter if it's true or not?"

"And what if I had my own family there?"

"And what if I suddenly decided to date Robin Hood or something? So what? This other world probably has it's good points and bad points compared to this. But this is our reality now and what'll happen if that all falls apart? What happens to us? We're stable like this. YOu remember another family, fine. Marry them too. As long as it's not Hook…..and just for principal, Henry's biological father. That's just too complicated."

"And sleeping with your stepdaughter's daughter, that's not complicated?"

"Well….I didn't think of it that way but you're also my wife so it doesn't count."

"Sure," Emma muttered.

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When Rumple and Maleficent went to see their daughter, they'd been hoping that she'd managed to avoid any rumors circling around about what exactly was going on with Hook but thankfully she'd only managed to catch the tail end of it. This town was awful sometimes but at least they managed to shut up when Lily came into the room

"That's the story," rumple told her as they all sat together, "Whatever happens, whatever goes on...I want you to know that I'm not that man. Okay? I've done a lot of awful things, some of those to the pirate and the pirate's done awful things to my family. But I wouldn't do what he'd accuse me of. Never."

Lily was quiet. She was still dressed in her pajamas when they knocked. Thankfully she let him in without a word of protest. Rumple and Maleficent both separately counted that as a win for their relationship.

God, he desperately needed some sort of win. He didn't want his family doubting him, least of all his daughter.

"I didn't think you'd be that sort of guy, anyway," Lily said after a few moments.

"Rumple nodded, "Okay. Okay, good."

"What are you going to do to him?" LIly finally asked.

"I don't know, drive him away maybe. Drop kick him to another realm? Wouldn't that be fun?"

Lily gave a bit of an amused smile, "Why does he want to break you all apart so bad."

"Because he thinks he's in love with Emma and he hates Rumple," Maleficent said

"Oh."

"Yeah," Mal sat next to her, "But ultimately it doesn't matter. Wanna grab lunch?"

Lily shrugged, "Yeah, okay"

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When they brought Emma into the family, it took a LOT for Regina to be willing to let it happen. Emma was out to take her husband and child from her, she knew it. But now that Emma had settled into the family, and Regina had decided to be better, she'd come to get used to her.

And now that she was exploring her own sexual side, she was interested. Now that Emma had hinted it COULD be possible, it was one of the only things that she could think about. Emma was forbidden fruit right now. and the fact that her being distressed about the family and MAYBE leaving set Regina in motion.

She had her family. she was like Rumple in that way. She had her family and she wasn't going to let any of them be driven away.

So she walked onto the ship and down the captain's cabin where she could smell the pirate. 300 years of body odor overwhelmed her as she walked down the ladder.

"Ah, your majesty," Hook greeted when she climbed down. She could smell the rum from here. THough it floated around like a cloud ALL the time, "To what do I owe this?"

"I want you to take your ship and sail off and not look back."

"Why? Scared of finding out the truth"

"I don't care about that, I care about you ripping apart my family."

"Well if the only thing holding your family together is a lie your husband created, then it's not much of a family worth holding together, isn't it?"

"YOu're just jealous because she's my wife; _our wife_ and not yours."

Hook's gaze darkened which made REgina smirk, "Now listen here-."

Her hand shot out and she gripped his heart. SHe watched as Hook's legs buckled. She yanked it out, blackened and rotting."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm protecting my family," Regina said simply, "You're going to find the nearest portal, or the nearest border, whichever works, and you're going to sail off and you're not going to come back."

"I'll find a way"

"I don't think so. If you do, I'll crush it."

She turned and went back up the ladder.

Part of her redemption had been returning the hearts that continued to beat in the vault. Which meant there'd be plenty of room for this one.


	24. Chapter 24

It was said that Dark Magic was addicting, and Regina had spent her whole life knowing that when she saw her mother basically live on the stuff and then she'd gone to live on it as well.

But when REgina decided not to partake in dark magic anymore, she'd cut it completely. She didn't have to worry about not having a support system, she had one. It was just having to rely on everyday things and not resort to magic to get them

But when she took Hook's heart, she felt a surge or power and magic that left her shaking so hard afterwards that she thought she was going to be sick. It made sense. She'd gone cold turkey and she'd just done something that took a lot of power and magic.

And maybe she was just ashamed of what she'd done.

But no, she protected her family. She could do anything. She could do it to Ursula too and drive her away. she could make them all forget what Hook said. She could do anything she wanted to keep them all together and they'd never know, wouldn't they? Itw as for the best.

The thought immediately filled her with dread. No, she couldn't do that. She'd done so well, she'd be found out. They'd find out what she did and it'd break the family apart even more. She couldn't do this by herself. she'd resort back to her old ways because it'd undo everything and she'd want to keep her family together even more.

She sat on the bathroom floor that night they were all getting ready for bed. She didn't want to see anyone. She didn't want to deal with them, she didn't want them to see the guilt on her face and know she'd done something she wasn't prepared to tell them. She'd regressed to protect her family and now all she could think about doing was going even darker to protect all of them and hold them together.

Which she obviously knew would rip them apart.

The bathroom door opened. She looked up at Maleficent as she came into the room and started washing her face, "I'm spending the night with you. Rumple's with Cruella and I was with Emma last night, it's only fair."

"You should probably be with Emma, she's been...whatever."

Maleficent looked over and tilted her head, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"I know you better than that. Something's wrong."

"Mal," REgina warned.

"Regina," Maleficent raised an eyebrow.

She might as well get it out now but she felt like she had to physically push out the words, "Hook's not going to be a problem anymore."

"Oh my god," Mal said, "You killed him?!"

"What? NO!" Regina said, what she'd done was worse, "I took his heart. I told him not to come back. I put his heart in my vault and now I can't even look at my family because of what I did."

Maleficent cursed, "Regina!"

"He was ripping our family apart! Rumple's saying the book looks authentic, Emma feels like something's wrong with this reality! I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to lose her. I didn't want to lose what we all have."

"Well you might now!"

"No. I won't lose any of you. I refuse. All of you, this family, are the only good thing that's come out of my life and I cannot possibly raise my son without any of you. He cannot grow up safe and loved in a healthy way because if I lose any of you then I'll be the evil queen again. And I don't want to be anywhere near that person I once was. I've been doing well. Until today."

"You have to tell them," Maleficent said, "Rumple, Emma...everyone. you have to tell them before the lie goes on for too long and it's too late to fix anything."

"I know," Regina whispered.

Maleficent rested her hands on the sink, "In the morning though"

"In the morning," Regina agreed and then gave a little sob, "I used dark magic again."

Maleficent went to sit next to her, "Regina."

"I don't want to be her again," Regina wiped her tears away, "I don't want to be that woman."

Maleficent wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close.

"It's okay," Maleficent whispered, "YOu haven't crossed a line yet."

"I took his heart."

Maleficent's face darkened, "To save our family. And he deserved it."

"We can't make that judgment. IF we do, then we'll start regressing, you know that."

"I know," Maleficent whispered, "But he still did."

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Rumple hadn't expected Cruella when he went to her room that night, but there she was. Sitting on their bed, rubbing lotion on her hands and arms, "I hope you realize that telling me to figure out what I want to do with Ursula in a day is impossible, right?"

"I didn't say just figure it out today"

"You hinted at it."

He frowned, "Sounds like you already made your decision, if you didn't want her, you'd have gotten rid of her already"

"Unfortunately the author prevented that."

"You know what I mean."

Cruella stopped and drew in a breath, "It's not unheard of in this family to seek outside lovers. that's how you got five wives, that's how Maleficent got Lily"

"Okay." he said. HE didn't want her to. He knew how Ursula and Cruella fed off each other but he didn't have a leg to stand on when it came to his wives and if they wanted lovers, but he cringed at the idea of Cruella being near Ursula.

Like he'd cringed at Hook being near Emma.

Or Lily's father near maleficent.

Maybe he was a BIT of a hypocrite.

He sat next to her and went to take her hand, "I will support your decision. I can't say I like it, but I will support it."

Cruella squeezed his hand, "This is what's best for me."

"Okay."

"Okay," he said.


	25. Chapter 25

When Rumplestiltskin woke up, Cruella was already gone and he was basically spooning air. He didn't sleep well that night. Everything was starting to suffocate him. He was worried about his wives near Hook and Ursula, he was constantly worried Lily might run off. He was worried about Belle and the baby. Something was bothering Regina yesterday. Perhaps it was stress.

He was terrified his family was heading towards some sort of destruction. Anything could lead it to shattering apart.

Cruella running to Ursula was going to be a problem, he just knew it.

He heard the door open and sat up to see Belle coming into the room with two cups of coffee. That wasn't good for their child! "Belle!"

"It's alright, one cup won't hurt," she crawled into bed with him, "Hook's gone."

He jerked over to her and blinked, "What?"

"The ship's gone, he's gone….the harbormaster said he just...sailed away"

That made no sense. The pirate wouldn't leave unless he knew he'd destroyed Rumple's family once and for all. Why would he leave so soon? What happened? Did Emma say something? Did she do something?

Did Bae do something?

He didn't want to think about it really. If the pirate was gone, what did he care in how the pirate was driven away?

"Good riddance," he pulled himself to a sitting position and took a drink of his coffee. He never liked the taste but it did wake him up.

Belle was quiet for a few moments, "Do you regret what you did? To Milah?"

He froze. It had been years before Rumplestiltskin could understand what Milah had put him through in terms of verbal abuse and making him feel guilty for one decision in which he didn't go off and die. He'd spent years, even centuries believing he was a coward who deserved it.

But then it was revealed that she was alive, and he realized she'd left their son behind and never looked back. THey let him think she went through a horrific experience just to be killed afterwards and he'd been too scared to fight for her.

Killing her had been spur of the moment, her leaving them, her claiming she never loved him after years of claiming she did before things got hard...he couldn't stop himself. He lashed out and he could never take it back.

"I regret it every day," he told her, "I loved her once. She was my wife. I made vows and then she was dead because of me. She did her own things that made the relationship toxic but that was no excuse for what I did. And I know I am extremely lucky to have you all know about it and marry me anyway. I"m sure there was a lot of hesitation."

He was a very fortunate man.

Belle was quiet and rested her head on his shoulder, "I love you."

He kissed her hair, "I love you too."

"It's our night tonight"

"Indeed."

"Will you spend time with me in the library today?"

He gave a small smile, "I'll spend all day with you in the library if that's what you wish."

She was his true love, none of the other wives had that title or that speciality with him. And while he loved them passionately, he recognized that Belle was that one that wanted just him and could be happy. She saw things in him that the others took awhile to see.

And he loved her so much for it.

"Perhaps the library should be closed," she teased.

"I think I like that way better," he grinned.

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Emma was already scarfing a pop tart down when her husband came to kiss her goodbye for the day. She gave Belle a hug, worried over the coffee that Belle swore was good if drank sparingly and got Henry up. By the time he rolled out of bed and got ready for school, they were starting to run late. Emma pulled on her jacket and sent Henry outside while she turned everything off and locked up. Henry waited on the porch and nudged her when she locked the door, "Mom."

Emma turned around to see her father leaning against his truck, waiting.

Emma felt tense as she recalled everything that happened with Lily and how they viewed her new life and she sent Henry to the car. Henry waved at his grandfather. Emma walked down the stairs and slipped her keys in her pocket, "Hey."

"Hey," he greeted back and looked a little awkward, "Must be Belle's day, I saw her leaving with Rumple."

"Yeah."

"Is yours next?"

"No, regina's is next then mine."

"Oh," he looked down at his feet, "Emma, words cannot express how much guilt we feel for what we did to Lily. and while we don't understand...all this , we don't want you to feel like you should defend it"

Emma almost felt defensive, they were doing a poor job of it so far but ultimately Emma could understand a bit. It was a hard thing to get and if Hook was right, it might not even be real.

IF he was right.

"I know," was all she said.

"We want….we want to try dinner again on your night. We want to be a family, Emma. All of us."

It was words that Emma hoped to hear all her life but they were also words that backfired really quickly.

"I have to talk to the others"

"I understand."

"I want to be a family too," Emma told him quickly. "But Maleficent and Lily are my family as well. I can't just forget what happened, that's disrespectful to them."

"I don't expect you to," he said quickly, "We just hope that one day...you'll forgive us. We don't want you to forget it. we just want you to forgive."

Emma was quiet, "I hope I can."

"So do we."

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Lily had barely gotten dressed when Baelfire sent her an address and asked her to meet him. It was a bit of a walk. Lily grumbled and moaned as she finally arrived and gave a glare to her brother as he walked down the stairs to the abandoned house, "You could've waited for me to get my coffee."

"I didn't stop you," He bounced a bit.

"You could'be given me a ride too."

"It's in the shop. I tried to bond with Henry by teaching him to drive and he found the ditch. I was surprised, it was hidden pretty well and he still managed to find it."

"That's why you got me up?"

"No!" He scowled, "I was out walking and I found this!"

He turned and gestured to the house. It was a small one. Didn't even have a garage and it was in need of a bad paint job, "This is….?"

"Dad and his wives have his home and they've offered to open it to us but there's a billion reasons why I don't want to hear the woman I love having sex with my dad or my stepmom. So that's out. So do I live at Granny's from here on out or do I save my handyman money and move out."

"So let me guess…"

"I know you wanted a job here….you were thinking the diner," he shuffled his feet a bit, "I was thinking maybe you could move out too."

Lily was quiet as she realized what he was asking. He wanted her to make a home with him. Not just a place to live, she had Granny's for that. But a home? That was different. She was cautious though, she'd had a home once. She had it for years. then she met Emma and she lost all that, "You don't want that."

"I do! We can leave and go get our stuff, bring it back and make a home."

"I'm a screw up."

"I'm the older brother of screw ups."

"Everything i do turns badly."

"I think you look down too much on yourself, you're hardly as bad as you think. I'm probably worse."

"I'm the dark side of whatever. The apprentice told me."

"The apprentice said you'd have to work very hard to do good. That's not so different from any of us. We all have to work at it."

Lily was quiet. She supposed he had a point there, but she was still reluctant, "People will talk."

He shrugged, "I'm used to them talking about me and my family. I don't care. You're my sister. That's all I see you as. I'm not asking for any more than that."

She looked at it, "It's sort of run down."

"We can build it up, make it ours."

"What if it goes wrong?"

"Then you can keep the house."

"I couldn't afford it."

"Our dad is the landlord, I think we can work something out."

"And what if he doesn't want me?"

"That's not dad."

"I had a family for about 15 years before they decided they didn't want me. I had years with them, it wouldn't be long before this one gave up on me too."

"Trust me, that's not dad. WHen he loves, he loves with everything. Look what he did to get you all here for me."

Lily frowned, "It wasn't your fault."

"Wasn't it?" he asked with a bit of bitterness in his voice.

"No it wasn't," Lily told him stubbornly.

He was quiet, "Do you want the house or not?"

She shrugged, "Give me a day to think about it?"

"Sure."

"Thanks," she looked at her phone when she got a text, "Huh. Belle says Hook's gone."

Bae looked up and then went to check his phone as well, "Well good riddance but I'm going to have to call dad back and let him know "I" didn't say anything to him."

"He thinks you did?"

"Trust me, I wanted him here less than anyone else but I didn't' do anything to get rid of him."

"Weird," Lily pocketed her phone, "maybe he didn't think it was worth the fight."

"Who knows what goes on in his head, I'd have thought he'd stay to prove he was right ."

"maybe he was lying and he realized no one was buying it."

"I'd think he'd try harder, that book felt practically authentic."

"Does it really matter?" Lily asked and shrugged, "Wanna go get breakfast?"

"Yes, I'm starving," he walked down the stairs, "You know ,if you get a job there, maybe you'll get me a discount."

"Don't push your luck."


	26. Chapter 26

Lily had wanted a family ever since she lost her first one that raised her for the first 15 or so years of her life. But she was a complicated person and with complicated people came complicated feelings. In the time that she'd been adopted, she'd gained a family almost overnight. And that's what happened now. She had five mothers (one of which had been a friend at the time she lost her family), two brothers and a dad that wasn't biologically related to her. And the people that took everything from her were her….step grandparents?

God, this whole family sounded like something out of white trash reality TV.

Lily wanted a family, and this seemed like a nice family, one that wanted her back .

But she'd lost two families in her lifetime, and what was to say if she fully immersed herself into this little fantasy, she wouldn't lose them too? What if she let her guard down and something happened to where they didn't want her anymore? What happened if she moved in with Bae and living together was worse for them than just being friends who shared an inn?

Emma's life worked out but Lily knew she was NOT Emma. In fact Emma's parents made sure of that.

She swallowed back that bitterness as she sat with her mother for lunch. Her father...or the man standing in his place wasn't with them. It was….one of the other wives nights, the one with the accent. So her mother hadn't wanted to interrupt their time together.

Especially when they saw them leaving the library together.

"I'm surprised they stayed out this long," Maleficent stirred her tea, "She's going to be a mother, you know. You're going to have another sibling."

"Add them to the list I guess, maybe I'll get to see this one grow up," Lily muttered and then scoffed, "But maybe not."

Her mother just watched her, "Does it bother you that she's going to have a baby?"

Lily was quiet, the question was a fair one she guessed. This would be the first sibling she would see grow up. Bae outdated her by quite a couple of centuries and the Henry thing was too weird to even think about.

"I dunno, it's just….maybe this one will get to grow up with it's parents. At least one of us should."

Maleficent was quiet, "I'm sorry you and your brothers were put in terrible situations like being taken away or being abandoned."

Lily was quiet at first, "Bae wants to buy a house."

Maleficent looked confused but interested, Lily had no idea what Mal thought about Bae...she did know Bae said they weren't too close. It wasn't any animosity, it just...was, "Oh?"

"He wants me to move in. He got me up this morning and showed me the house and everything."

Lily didn't miss the hope in her mother's eye. She knew that LIly leaving was still a constant fear. So it made sense that she saw Lily getting an opportunity to move in with the brother she talked most with as a hope that Lily was about to set in roots, "And? What did you say?"

Lily fought some tears, "I told him I don't know."

Maleficent's face fell. She saw the devastation in her mother's eyes, "Aren't you happy here?"

"Yeah but happiness gets lost," she said.

"Not always."

"With me it does."

"Lily, you got me back, you're safe, you can be happy. isn't that what you want?"

"Up until recently, I wanted revenge."

"Goals change."

"I wanted them to suffer."

"They did, and now we're reunited. You could be happy now."

Lily was quiet, "You make it sound easy."

"It's not. I know it's not. I had to fight hard for my own happiness. And that wasn't complete until Emma brought YOU back."

Lily was quiet, "People think-."

"Do you really care what people think?"

Lily gave a bit of a smirk, "Badass dragon bitches don't care what others think?"

"THey only care about family, and you have plenty."

"I don't know if I can give in completely to the idea that I can be happy."

"it doesn't work that way. You don't just jump in," Maleficent told her, "You take it one thing at a time

"What if I'm not strong enough?"

"You're the daughter of a dragon and a dark one," Maleficent reminded her, "You survived before, I have no doubt you can do it again. It's not easy, and it will take time. but no one wants to rush you, we just want to help you."

Lily was quiet and mulled over this. Her childhood family hadn't been equipped for what she was….or what she turned into the moment she and Emma met and destinies clashed.

But this was different, ti was a family of outcasts and delinquents who fought for happiness and struggled and sho maybe there WAs hope because they wouldn't give up on her, NOt when they wouldn't give up on each other.

"Maybe I'll keep trying."

"That's the only thing you can do," Maleficent took another drink, "We can rarely control anything else."

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Cruella hated the diner, she never understood why her family enjoyed drinking watered down beer and overpraised lasagna. She was certain Granny left hers frozen on purpose, no matter what the oversized hairless wolf said.

It certainly wasn't the company either.

Maybe Rumple lost a bit, Cruella didn't know.

Luigi's was far better and it wasn't as crowded by middle class and poor people, maybe the others did it out of pity.

yeah, that sounded like Belle and Emma.

But URsula, there was no excuse for to find her here and she knew that meant Ursula would be there just to spite her.

So she pulled into a parallel parking spot and flounced out of the car, walking towards the entrance.

Granny gave her a dirty look, "You take up two parking spaces with that guzzler."

"And you break countless mirrors with that voice of yours, but I don't judge," Cruella snapped and walked to the corner.

Ursula was having chicken parmesan, she looked up and gave a scowl when Cruella approached her, "come here for another tongue lashing."

"Well not for a lashing, that's for certain."

Ursula raised an eyebrow as she realized there was some sort of nonsensical innuendo in there somewhere, "Are You asking for me to get back together with you?"

"Put that thing away, darling," she gestured to the plate of half edible food, "We'll have dinner when we're done in the room."

"I haven't even said I want YOU back."

"Of course you do, it's why you're here," Cruella said simply, "Come along now, I haven't slept with anyone in so long. You'd think having a husband and three bisexual wives would be better than it is, but none seem interested."

"Maybe I've changed my mind."

"Then I'll give you a ravishing send off gift, darling."

Ursula gave her a look that said she was done, but stood up, "I wasn't done with that, you know."

"Darling, I have a feeling you were done with it the moment you saw me walk in."

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Being in a public library was not great for one's sex life, usually Belle and Rumple were free to get up to love making within the four walls but today had been an unusually busy day and they abandoned the library to the hands of Rumple's old bodyguard and came home to spend the day in bed.

God, he loved her, he loved all his wives but what he had with Belle was so special. there was a special link with all of them of course but Belle was his true love.

So he made love to her that afternoon, only stopping for a drink and when they were both spent, he lay there gazing at her. She was so beautiful; her smile, her eyes, her touch...there was a small bump now that he couldn't miss. HIs child was growing.

"May I?" he asked and hovered his hand over her belly.

Belle nodded and he pressed his hand on her bump. He kissed her neck, "May I see if it's safe?"

She nodded, he was a lot like his daughter and some of his wives, afraid to be happy in fear that it could be taken away.

His hand hovered on her belly and he used his magic to know what he needed to know. Once it had been used to make sure his investments were growing well, now it was for his wife.

He grinned, "It's safe. It's healthy."

"What is it?"

"Too soon to tell," he teased and gave her another kiss, 'I love you."

"I love you too."

He was going to be a father again, he could hardly believe it. Every time he'd settle down and then remember Belle was pregnant and he'd get excited again.

"This one," he promised her, "This one will grow up normal and loved. We fought long and hard for this and we're going to make sure it has everything we were all denied. It will have me, it will have you, it will have siblings. No one will be able to harm it, no one will abandon it. We get to be happy, we get to be a family. After all this, we deserve it."

A lot of the trouble had been his own doing, he knew. But he was trying to do better, he was providing for his family and keeping the town safe.

He was atoning. It was a debt he'd never pay off but for these moments...of holding his pregnant wife….it was worth it. He'd suffer everything if it meant slight atonement and these moments."

He gave his wife a kiss and just lay there watching her.

"So what do you want to do now?"

"Call Emma up, see if she wants to join in."

Belle responded by hitting him with a pillow.

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Emma tried not to let the fact that the pirate was suddenly gone bother her. He left and her parents wanted to try dinner again. But the last time they did that, Lily turned into a dragon. No one wanted a repeat performance. Emma wanted her parents in her life more than what they were doing now. But she also had to consider the feelings of Mal and Lily.

She just wanted to talk to someone. Not Mal, not yet, Cruella was not even an option. Belle was with Rumple and Emma was NOT about to walk in on that again. One time was traumatizing enough. So that left Regina, it wasn't long until she was sitting in Regina's room talking with her that she realized Archie was an option too.

"I want them in my life," Emma finished, "I want them to accept me and this life I've chosen for myself. I don't tell them anything anymore. I don't even think they know about Mal and I. It's just been too quiet for too long and what is said is awkward and tense."

"Not everyone finds this ideal," Regina reminded her, "My mother would've wanted me to skin any competition alive for my husband's affection. She didn't realize though that my first husband was practically married to his first wife still when he married me."

"Am I being unreasonable?"

"some would way I'd be the last person to ask," Regina sat on the edge of the bed and traced a finger down Emma's leg absentmindedly as she thought. Emma noticed it though but made no move to call attention to it, "I think you are. YOu're asking your parents who have never seen you all your life to jump through hoops to earn your forgiveness and jump through hoops to accept this lifestyle There's not much they're getting out of this. What they did was horrible, what I've done is horrible, we all do horrible things. But we're all trying to do our best to get over it. you've forgiven me, why is it so hard to forgive them? Because they're Snow White and Prince Charming?"

"Because anything less feels like an insult to Maleficent and LIly"

"And you...and the choices they've robbed from you," Regina glanced at her, "I have to remind myself that my mother did the same to me. And I did the same to Henry. It's easy to fall into, and there are things I regret and that's one of them. I can understand why they did it, and why they regret it."

"I wish things were how they were before," Emma said quietly. Her parents had hurt so many people in this decision.

"Then you wouldn't have us," Regina shrugged and smirked, "And considering how things are, you'll the safest you'll ever be."

"or a bigger target."

"After we decimated Zelena, no one would dare."

"Except Hook," Emma muttered, "He left last night."

Regina was silent as she mulled over what to say, "Then he must have realized what a big threat we'd be."

"Or someone would drive him away."

"And you think…"

'Do you think Rumple would?"

"The temptation would certainly be there...but if he wanted to, he'd do a better job than Hook just...sailing off. Besides. He was with Cruella all night, if he even bothered getting up and not coming back to bed, we'd all be hearing about it."

"Maybe you should be nicer to Cruella."

"Maybe she shouldn't be Cruella."

Emma rolled her eyes, "I should probably go back to the station."

"Honestly, what interesting could be going on there?"

"Nothing's interesting going on here."

"It could," Regina leaned back, "You could get back on the bed and relax. Let what might happen happen."

"Hmm," Emma went to sit on the bed. Regina smirked and went to kiss her neck, Her hand went to slip down the front of Emma's jeans, "Where's the fun in that?"

Regina pulled back, "That isn't nice, Emma."

"Hmm," Emma smirked and grabbed her beanie, "I almost considered it, you know."

"Then why don't you?"

"Not tonight darling, I have a headache."

"You sound like Cruella."

Emma smirked wider, "How would YOU know what Cruella sounds like when refusing sex?"

"You're just doing this to tease me."

"No, I realize we have our issues we're working out and if we sleep together, I want it to be special. I want you to find your redemption Not because it means you get in my pants if you do, but because you want it."

"Except I don't regret everything I've done. Are You going to make me jump through hoops too? Aren't your parents enough or do you want everyone dancing for you?"

Emma went tense, her eyes glazed over and regina knew she overstepped her bounds."

"that's not the way to win my affection," Emma told her and went to leave.

"Emma wait," Regina stood up and went over to her, "I'm sorry."

"Okay," Emma said but she still had THAT look.

"I mean it," Regina told her and then dialed back her temper, "I just don't want you to see the person who cost you everything constantly when you look at me. Even if I am that person."

"Okay," Emma said simply and went to leave, "If it does happen in the future, I'd rather it be special than just a way to spend an afternoon."

"Fine," she said more tersely than what she knew would win Emma over.

Emma left, the door shut with a bit of a slam.

And Regina was alone.


	27. Chapter 27

When Emma used to feel in over her head, ti used to be that she went to her mother….or Mary Margaret before she was her mother. But she didn't want to come to her and let her know that she was having problems.

But she also didn't want to go to her wives and husband yet so she went to her mother's door and knocked.

'You know, you can use a key," Her mother told her and let her in. It didn't take long before Emma found herself sitting at the table with a mug of hot cocoa in front of her and a plate full of cookies right next to it, "Have you been waiting at the door?"

"Don't be silly," Snow told her and sat down, "I've just….I keep your favorites on hand….in case you come home."

Emma felt a small smile tug on her lips and then frowned, "Oh mom, I thought I'd be happy."

Snow tensed, "Aren't you?"

"I just...yes and no. Something...happened. Killian Jones came back."

"Yeah, we hard," Snow looked at her, "ARe you okay?'

"No," Emma told her and the story came out of her mouth before she could stop it. She told her about her relationship with Maleficent, her weird relationship with Regina, she told her about Lily trying to fit in and how the rumors were going around that she and Neal might be moving in together….and she told him about the book that Hook brought with him….

And then how she couldn't find Hook, he just took everything and left.

"And he didn't say anything?"

"I don't know," Emma admitted, "I looked in the dock, I checked with Granny, he didn't leave anything behind."

"Do you think….you know?"

"That Rumple did something?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know. He says he doesn't know anything about the book but…I don't know, Rumple's good with words."

"You should probably talk to him about all this," Snow told her, "He's your husband."

"I know. I know."

"And talk to Regina too."

"That always ends in fighting."

"It sounds like most of the conversations end in fighting."

"That's family, I guess," Emma muttered.

'It shouldn't be."

"Well….most families shouldn't have five wives but here we are with a family tree more twisted than any soap opera ever created."

Snow gave an amused smile, "I suppose that's true."

"Mom, I don't know what to do. I should pass this stupid book off as a fraud but I don't know. There's….._something _ about it and i can't shake it."

"Your instincts are sometimes right."

"They're sometimes wrong too," Emma said and leaned back.

"Emma," Snow straightened up, "Are you happy in this arrangement?"

"Yes, it's supportive, it CAN be relaxed when there's no problems like Hook and Ursula running around. I get to….I get to be me. I don't have to worry about being abandoned because the people I'm married to have been abandoned in various ways and know how it feels. But these problems…..if they keep on, they could destroy us. And I don't know how to be happy. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop and honestly….I think I'd feel that way if I had chosen anyone."

"Maybe...maybe you should go into therapy."

Emma shook her head, "I don't know if Archie's equipped to handle a polygamous marriage issues."

"Emma, your fears and worry are things every couple has….not just someone that has five spouses."

"He won't know how to handle that! He's a therapist fairy tale character! How is he going to help me and my issues when everyone else has happily ever after and he won't know what to draw from?!"

"Emma, do you think it's that easy? We have our true love and our happily ever after and now we can sit back and relax? You know better! It's not that easy. It takes work for everyone. Even us. It's easy to fall in love, ti takes a lot of work to maintain it."

Emma didn't know whether to feel relieved or terrified by that. All this time her parents made it look so easy, that they were a strong unit as well as strong apart. It was something she was trying to ai her own marriages to. But knowing her mother told her it was still hard work….to see that fall and that humanization, she wasn't sure how to handle that.

"You make it look so easy," Emma muttered.

"We don't mean to," Snow put her hand on Emma's hand, "Emma, I know you think we hate this but we don't. We want this to work for you. We want you to be happy."

"So you keep saying but I can tell you don't like it."

"Emma, you're our daughter, no one's going to be worthy enough in our eyes. But we don't hate it. It's just….we expected a lot different for your life."

"None of it happened."

"No," Snow said sadly, "it didn't."

Emma turned her hand so she could hold her mother's, "I've just been one disappointment after another, haven't I?"

"Oh Emma," Snow looked heartbroken that she would say that, "You were never that."

It was those words that made her break her resolve and she rested her head on the table, "I'm so tired, mom."

Snow rested her hand on her daughter's hair, "I know, sweetie."

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"I messed up," Regina muttered as she stared at the ceiling, "I let my temper get the best of me and now she's mad."

Belle lay there under the covers with a scowl on her face. They'd moved from the library full of afternoon loving to the bedroom. It was easier on one's back than the table and bookshelves were but it also meant….others were here. Others who didn't care about knocking or checking for locks, "Can't you talk to HER?"

"We'll just fight"

"We weren't fighting," Belle said and glared at Rumple, who had his hand over his eyes in exasperation.

"This is important," Regina snapped, "Our family is falling apart."

"Maybe she just doesn't want to have sex with you."

"Nonsense, everyone wants to have sex with me with I get the bedroom eyes," Regina said automatically and looked at Rumple, "She's been moody. You've seen it."

"Yes, I've seen it but I'd rather see it later," He told her.

"Don't be like that. Our family is falling apart and all you're worried about is getting your jollies with Belle. I mean I know you have like 30 years worth of catching up to do-."

"Oh, whose fault was that?" Belle muttered.

"But she's not happy, and we're all married and we have to deal with it."

"And how would you deal with it, sweetheart?" Rumpel asked, finally taking his hand away from his face, "Intervention will just make her retreat more."

"So you want to leave her alone?"

"No, of course not, but until she wants to talk about it, there's not much I can do."

"Well, MAKE her talk."

"You're starting to sound like the evil queen," Belle told her.

"Who invited you?"

"YOU stormed into MY room!" Belle grabbed a pillow and smacked her with it.

"HEy!" Regina snatched it away and looked at Rumple, "You have to do something."

"What can I even do?"

"I don't know! But Emma is basically one of the hearts of this family and if she leaves us then this whole thing falls apart. It feels like a punch in my chest to even SAY that but we've arrived to this point in our family where she's part of it. And this book has affected her. So I'm going to trade my night with her night and you have to deal with her tomorrow."

"I don't know if this is going to be fixed with just one conversation."

"Well as you always say, it's a start." Regina stood up and rolled her eyes when Belle went to cover herself better, "Oh don't be a prude. Once you've seen one woman's naked body, you've seen them all."

Belle glared at her until she left, "I really don't like her sometimes."

"Shh, she's...trying at least," Rumplestiltskin kissed her and moved to roll back on top of her.

"Mm, maybe Emma's not the only one you need to talk to."

"We could all use another family meeting."

"And better locks," Belle muttered before going in for a new kiss.


	28. Chapter 28

Emma had agreed to a family dinner when it was her night, and so when Regina traded for her night, everyone was invited a day earlier than they all thought they were going to be. It was a lot of madness and a lot of scrambling. Snow tried on four different sets of clothes. Lily sat at home going over every possible contingency with her brother and decided if she was going to go or stay….

But to the family's happiness and worry….they all showed up. Maleficent beamed when Lily and Baelfire showed up together, The Charmings came soon after. Emma worried about them being in the same room but they all kept their distance. Lily sat with Baelfire and Henry. Baelfire, who couldn't take his eyes off his son, kept trying to ask his son about school but Henry kept trying to change the subject and ask Lily about her dragon abilities. Like any kid, he was fascinated with what it was like to fly and have that sort of power that no one else in the family did other than her mother.

Henry was getting bored with a family full of magic, who'd have thought.

Ursula came when they were setting the table. Rumplestiltskin bristled a bit with jealousy when she came in. Lily went quieter and everyone noticed how Baelfire took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze….everyone also realized she did not take it away but squeezed tighter when Ursula walked over and looked her over, "You're Lily?"

"Yeah," Lily said tightly.

Cruella took a few steps forward.

Ursula was quiet, "I'm so sorry we left you behind."

"You mean as an infant who couldn't protect herself?"

"Yes," Ursula told her, "I know it sounds empty knowing what could have happened to you. But I'm so sorry, leaving you is something I'll always hate myself for. Something I'll never really forgive others for."

Cruella unsurprisingly managed not to cringe as hard as the Charmings did.

Lily had a lot of suppressed anger in her eyes, they all saw it. Her jaw clenched, her lips trembled but she swallowed it all back, "Okay."

Ursula took a second and then nodded, "Okay."

She went to go talk to Cruella. Rumpelstiltskin looked away from them and went to rest his hand on his daughter's shoulder, "Thank you, sweetheart."

"I haven't forgiven her, yet," Lily muttered, "Don't understand why you're thanking me."

"You can be as angry as you like, that's your complete right," he told her and watched Baelfire react to that too. He and his son still had such a long way to go, "Where most go wrong is what they do with that anger."

"And you didn't turn into a dragon, that's a plus," Baelfire teased her.

Lily gave a tired smile, "Night's still young."

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When Emma had been a child, food was almost a luxury. It was the same way in prison and on the streets. The biggest won usually so Emma had to learn to be crafty and fast. That had changed when she learned to work for herself and made herself respectable, she had more food than she'd ever had when she had no home. That fear was always there though, knowing she'd lose her job and face the same problem. However, now in a marriage with so many magic users, Emma stared at the table full of food, it always amazed her to know that she'd never be hungry again.

Even Snow and Charming were always awed in the rare times they came over. Lily and Bae's eyes nearly bugged out of their skull. It reminded Emma as she looked around the table and realized how many of them had been desolate at some point in all their lives.

"How's the house coming along, Baelfire?" Maleficent asked as they passed around food to fill their plates.

"Fine, it needs a paint job and some minor repairs but Lily and I will get it done."

"We could help," Rumple started and then realized his son wouldn't want magic done on a house he wanted to make his, "Financially….if you wanted."

"Thanks papa, if something really bad pops up, I'll remember that but I have some money saved."

Emma snuck a glance to Maleficent to see how she felt about LIly and Bae living together but the only thing on Mal's face was relief. If Lily was living with her brother, it meant she was making bonds. It meant she was going to stay.

"We do need to leave town soon, we need to go get our stuff before our landlords throw it all out."

"I'm paid up for the rest of the year," Baelfire told them, "But Lily isn't, so we have to go soon."

"Roadside diner doesn't pay so much," Lily ate some ham, "And I really don't want the old fart to come in and see….my collage of what I knew about this world."

"Well what do you care? You'll never see him again," Cruella asked.

"It's the principal of the thing," Emma said quickly, "When you fight for everything you have, sometimes what little reputation you have matters."

"I've never cared," Cruella pointed out.

"That's because you were too busy murdering everyone," Lily muttered.

"It wasn't _busy_, it happened four times and all of a sudden I'm a terrible murderer."

"You only can't kill anymore because you were stopped by the author," Lily muttered, "I did my research."

Cruella made a face, "I love how all of you keep reminding me of that."

There was a moment of silence before Henry spoke up, "Can I go?"

Regina straightened up, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Henry demanded.

"It's so far away," Regina said.

"I went to Boston on a bus before."

"Boston isn't Manhattan and it was still a dangerous thing you did!"

"I went to Manhattan before too!" Henry pointed out.

"With your father and….other mother to….meet your other father that you thought was just your brother," Regina said and looked to Rumple and Emma for support, "It's not the same!"

"Well….he's my father too," Henry said before Baelfire could say anything, "And Lily's my sister. It's not even a mission to get anyone and bring them back! It's just moving and getting to know my dad. How dangerous is that, really?"

Emma wanted to argue on instinct as well. But she had no reason to keep Henry from going. Baelfire regretted what he'd done to her all those years ago. He did everything he could to make up for it. And he loved his son, he'd make sure he'd be safe. So Emma looked to Regina, "We'll talk about it."

Regina was ready to argue but then relented when she saw her husband nod, "Fine. We'll talk about it."

The table went to awkward talking amongst itself. Emma made awkward small talk with her parents when she realized that Regina wasn't really talking to anyone. As her parents turned to talk to Baelfire, she put her hand on Regina's shoulder. She knew Regina was a powder keg when it came to some things. She was never sure what she'd get, "We're a family, no one's going to steal him away if you to share him, Regina."

"Sharing him with you is hard enough."

"I know that's hard, but he wants to go. And he wants to know his dad. It doesn't mean he loves you any less."

"Doesn't it?" she demanded, "Sometimes I wonder."

"You know better," Emma said, she didn't want to go into this with Regina NOW, not when things were going so well.

"He spent that first year calling you his 'real mom'. He almost outright hated me. And I know that's my fault because of who I was and what I put him through. When you were here, he only showed affection when my life was in danger after everyone woke up. He got older and he was scared of me, he hated me. He only loves me because he has you to fall back on and whose fault is that? I did that. I used him for my happy ending, not his. Just like my mother did to me.."

Emma didn't let it show on her face how big that was that Regina was admitting that. Years and years of blaming other people for things that happened in her life. For her to take responsibility? It was so much progress, "But he's repairing his relationship with you. His love never wavered REgina. He wasn't happy but that doesn't mean he didn't love you. He was just...behaving in a hard situation he was in."

"That I put him in."

Emma nodded, "It's just...I mean, you're showing love too, now that you have us to fall back on. Now that you're trying to get better."

"But to do that, I have to share, is that what you're saying?"

"I think if I trusted anyone to take Henry out in the world and keep him safe, it'd be Neal."

Regina was quiet, she was obviously mulling it over, "I'm sorry I snapped at you yesterday"

"I'm sure I deserved it."

"No you didn't."

"I should get over my parents doing what they did."

"You get to be angry as long as you want, it's your right."

"You stealing Rumple's lines now?"

"What line gets crossed is what you do about that anger," Regina told her.

"This coming from you?"

"It's not me being self righteous," Regina told her, "This is me telling you that I've been down that path….because of a lot of things you already know about. It's okay to be angry, but don't let it consume you. Don't let it ruin your entire relationship with your parents, because then you sit back and realize that it's too late to clean up some mistakes. The time you fought it out is time you can't get back."

Emma was quiet, "They damned a baby. They took my choice away. They took HER choice away and her life got harder the moment she met _me._"

"I know. But look at what I've done, and you're here talking to me and not them."

She had her there, "Well, we're having dinner, aren't we?"

"Yeah, that's a start."

"Just keep taking steps, Emma."

"I guess that's all I can do."

"They lost you too many times just to lose you forever again."

That one stung, but she saw the regret in Regina's face as she knew her own fault in that, "Okay."

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Dinner was a success, there was no argument, no throwing magic, no dragon turning, just a lot of awkward small talk. When it was done, everyone started cleaning up, Maleficent found herself in the kitchen washing dishes with Baelfire, "So...you and Lily."

"It's nothing like that," he kept hearing himself say.

"So I hear."

"I just want her to feel safe. I dunno, I like her, and we feel safe together. In a total sibling way, nothing more."

"You keep protesting that."

"Because it's true. Just because we're a woman and a man living together doesn't mean something else is there."

Maleficent washed a dish and handed it to him, "Does she talk about me?"

"Yes, she talks about everyone."

"I can imagine."

"She….she wants to start opening up more, I think. But that's for her to talk about to you. It's not my place."

"It's still a long road."

"We all face long roads right now," Bae told her. It was still weird...thinking of her as his stepmother. The evil dragon from the movie was the woman Rumple had decided to marry after his mother...and nearly Regina's mother. Ugh, NO ONE wanted to think about that though, for good reason.

"It's starting to get late, maybe you should head back."

"It's still early yet," Baelfire started to protest.

"This dinner date was awkward but went well," Maleficent reminded him, "Better to quit while we're ahead. And we all have our own lives to get to in the morning."

Baelfire sighed, the desire to both stay and try to continue making them a family was strong but so was the one that wanted to leave and go to his home, "Okay, I think you're right."

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Emma had watched with just mild protest as Neal and Lily left together, saying their goodbyes. Lily hugged her mother and Emma felt stirrings of guilt in her belly even though she knew it wasn't her fault what happened. She'd spent a very long time convincing herself that it wasn't her doing just because she was born.

Her own family was next, saying its goodbyes. Emma and Rumple saw them to the door where she hugged her mother and her father. They stood there looking at each other awkwardly before Rumple spoke, "Perhaps….the next night it's Emma's night we could do this again."

Snow nodded before he was done, "Yeah, I think- I think we could be there. I think we'd be willing to try that."

Rumple smiled and rubbed his wife's back, "We'll tell you which day Emma's next day falls on."

"We'd like that" Charming held his wife's hand. Emma went to embrace them for a second time while Rumple hung back. They were all on speaking terms. But Rumple was sure his in laws didn't want an in-law centuries older than themselves.

"Have a good night," Emma whispered to her parents as Rumple finally went to close the door.

"Well, no one turned into a dragon darlings," Cruella went to light a cigarette as she walked out ot the backyard to smoke, "I'd say that's progress."

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Rumple had been married to Emma for only a little bit. He'd only been married to Regina for slightly longer than he'd been married to her. Of course some would say he'd been married for 28 years to Regina but he also considered the fact that Gold had been married at first, not Rumple.

But still, he had that time with Regina to learn how to talk to her. With Emma, things were still new. He didn't know how to talk to her or start up conversations without feeling awkward if they were deep enough.

"I guess you wanted to talk to me," Emma said as he got ready for bed and she sat at her desk, putting lotion on her hands.

Oh good, he was terrified of having to start the conversation and put her on her guard, "Yes….would you like to talk?"

"Not really, but I think we should."

That old fear gripped him. If she was truly unhappy, she might leave. The way his father left, the way Milah left...the way the women who raised him as a child died and in a way left him...the way Cora left…

He felt his heart beating in his chest, "You're not happy"

Emma was hesitant and she crumbled, "I don't know…"

"What aren't you happy? What haven't I done?"

"It's….," Emma hesitated, "Not easy to explain. The Captain's gone."

"And good riddance to him."

"But he just...disappeared. Him and the ship are both gone...right after he came back with that book and was claiming it was true. Right as he was threatening your happy ending and…," she hesitated.

Rumple frowned, "Say it."

Emma hesitated and then looked him in the eye, "I need to know if you did anything to get rid of him."

And there it was.

"Do you think I did?"

"I want to think you didn't, but I also know you do things you can't take back when you panic, and that's what worries me."

Rumple had mulled over the right words to say since Regina came to him. He went over it again and again in his head, "Emma, if he was right...if this...thing was any sort of delusion or...curse...I wouldn't get rid of him just because I want to keep my little happy ending. I won't sit there and force you to be in any sort of reality that you might not want or you might not ask for. I love you, Emma. You're my wife. You're my family, but I value your happiness above any of that. And I _really _value your free will and consent to be with me. I'll not be in the way if it turns out to be a lie and you don't want me. That's why I didn't touch the pirate. I personally want to believe he's just trying to rip us all apart in some revenge scheme, but if it was some sort of curse that happened...Emma, I wouldn't hold you back from that."

Emma listened, her eyes filled with tears and she nodded, "I'm sorry."

"For what, dear?"

"For doubting you."

"I'm a man who's done terrible things," he allowed and brushed her hair back, "I'd say you'd be more a fool if you didn't doubt me every once in awhile."

"Yeah?" Emma went to kiss him gently.

"Hmm," He instinctively wrapped his arms around her. Though it wasn't until she went to lower herself on the bed that he felt his body react.

He buried his face in her neck. She smelled like cinnamon and he pulled back to look in her eyes before smiling teasingly, "Just don't make a habit of it."


	29. Chapter 29

**1 Month Later**

Things were calm and Rumple started to get restless.

Nothing stayed quiet for long. Not in his life. The other shoe always dropped. His wives were getting along as well as they do. Belle and the baby were safe. Lily was slowly melding in with the family….

Even Snow and Charming were visiting more.

Something was going to happen. Nothing ever went this well for someone like him. He didn't get perfectly happy endings. He never thought himself blessed until he got his family.

But he always lost his family in one way or another. Either he did something to lose them or they just left. He worked hard, he did the right thing because he wanted to keep his family but he knew one day something was going to happen and he was going to lose them.

And now he was wondering if that day was here.

It'd been a month of convincing both him and Regina to let Henry go with Baelfire and Lily to go get their things. Rumple had agreed that it would be fine on the night at dinner when Baelfire had suggested it but the more time passed, the more he thought about it.

Other than the child Belle carried, all his children were going to pile in a car and go to a place where he couldn't reach or protect them .

What if something happened? What if he lost all of them?

He'd still yet to face as many consequences as he deserved for the things he'd done. What if his children had to pay them to punish him?

He took so much, wasn't it karma to lose a lot in return.

"You're antsy," Maleficent told him as they prepared a small lunch for the three to take with them.

He felt his jaw clench, "I am not"

"You're lying to the woman that's known you the longest, really?" Maleficent asked with a raised eyebrow, "Of course you're antsy. I can tell. I can always tell. You're not focusing, you're moody….you're not sleeping either. You have dark circles under your eyes. THat's a sure sign, I knew that back in the Enchanted Forest too."

"I didn't need to sleep back then."

"Yes but you sure LOVED being in bed with me."

"And who can blame me. Even the wives want you."

Maleficent smirked, "Now you're using flattery to get out of the subject, don't think I don't know that one either."

"It used to work," He kissed her cheek.

"No it didn't," Maleficent said and turned to him, "You know it bothers me they're leaving too."

He put a thermos of coffee in the bag and was silent for a few moments, "We lost Lily and Bae. We missed everything with them and we weren't even HERE when Henry was growing up...not in the way we wanted to be."

"I know," she stroked his back.

"We've worked so hard to be better. All of us. We ignore those that hate us, we encourage each other to work on heroism but what happens if it's not enough. Heroes die every day. We know that better than anyone, we were responsible for a lot of it."

"They could just get their things and come back."

"Then why can't I shake the feeling that something's going to happen?"

"Because that's just who you are, love," Maleficent told him, "You're always waiting for something bad to happen because for you, it always does happen. But we can't wait around for bad things all the time. Something bad will ALWAYS happen. That's just life. And we know THAT better than anyone too. They're just getting their things. ANd then they're going to be home. Nothing bad is going to happen."

Rumple saw the fear in her eyes. He knew her better than anyone too, he knew when she was really afraid, "You're telling yourself that as much as you're telling me."

Maleficent's comforting demeanor crumbled, "You're not the only one afraid to let them go to a place you can't continue to protect them."

He felt some relief in knowing he and Regina weren't the only ones worried, "You want me to trade with Regina tonight? We can be together."

"No," Maleficent said after a moment of hesitation, "Emma said she'd be with me."

"You two are getting closer."

Maleficent shrugged, "People married to each other generally do."

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To say that there was tension in the house as the day they all left grew closer was an understatement. Baelfire and Lily went to visit four times a week for dinner and both noticed that their support for leaving town for a couple days was slowly dwindling.

He tried to understand, in their mind the things that he and LIly wanted to get were just things. But for him and Lily those little things they held on for years to meant everything.

So they were going. Henry was coming too. THAT had been an uphill battle to let Regina agree to it. Even more so as the weeks passed and his father was clearly uncomfortable about being separated again.

Lily told him her mother was the same way but she wasn't trying to show it.

Emma was just irritated.

"It's only a couple of days," he protested when they drove up and found Maleficent and Rumple prepared practically a couple of feasts.

"Anything can happen," Maleficent told them as Henry rushed out of the house to hug his father, "And Henry eats like a horse."

Henry scowled, "I do not!"

Baelfire started to protest but clammed up. He immediately thought of his own foster family...the Darlings and how the matriarch of the family used to overfeed him.

It was odd after all this time...having a mother again.

Well, five of them on a technicality but only Maleficent really mother henned him. Belle tried but due to the fact they were practically the same age biologically it was just a little too weird for his tastes.

"Be safe," Maleficent said and hugged him, "KEep them safe."

"I know," He said and hugged her tightly, "Keep them in line."

"That's impossible," she pulled back and went to hug her daughter, "I love you."

It was still always a surprise when Lily hugged her back, "I love you too"

Maleficent fought years, they'd come so far in that month. She wasn't even sure when it happened but Lily came home more, she learned how to be a dragon, she wasn't….so tired and angry. They had a long way to go of course but they were bonding.

"I'll come home," Lily told her when she didn't let go of the embrace automatically, "I promise."

"You better," Maleficent pulled back brushed the hair from her face, "Don't' make me come looking for you."

Lily scowled, "Aw mom"

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Emma knew Regina was going to take it just as hard as Rumple was that their son wasn't going to be with them

But the way Regina hugged him, Emma wandered if she was going to need a crowbar to pry him away from her.

"Do what they say, listen to instruction," Regina said and finally pulled away, "Unless it's stupid, then just call me-."

"Regina," Emma warned.

Regina scowled, "Just be safe. You're smart, you know to run. Don't be a hero, come home safely."

"I know that." 

"You knowing and you doing it are two different things when you run towards danger like it's a candy truck," Regina muttered and went to embrace him.

Emma was next. She wasn't as scared of this as the others were. She'd been out in the real world and she knew that Neal knew how to survive it just as well as anyone. Lily was there and had plenty of real world experience too.

"Just stick close to your father," Emma told him and hugged him, "Call me when you reach your destination."

"I will."

"Okay then," she hugged him again, "I love you."

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Rumple didn't know how to talk to his son about the idea of him taking his own son away for a small vacation. He shouldn't worry, Baelfire getting his things meant that he was settling down and coming to live in the town which is everything Rumple wanted and that filled him with excitement.

But it was Lily, Baelfire, and Henry all going and that was all his children. If something happened and they were all killed or separated….

And maybe he was a little bit jealous. He'd been a loving if not distant father when Henry grew up. No one questioned that he'd loved his adopted son and now his own son was here, the father of his adopted son to spirit him away and show him things that Rumple couldn't.

How pathetic was that? And Rumple knew he couldn't voice those fears because he knew he really had no right to say what Baelfire could do with their son and what he couldn't. And why should he? He didn't have any leg to stand on when it came to what was best for a child, he let his own son fall down a portal. And his own son was back now after centuries of separation.

Where did he get off being jealous that his son wanted to spend time with the son he didn't get to raise? He didn't, so he knew to keep his mouth shut.

Instead he stood there trying to figure out WHAT exactly to say.

"You don't like this, do you?" Baelfire asked.

"No," he admitted. At least there was that, "For a number of reasons."

"We ARE going to come back, you know that right?" 

"I know," he wouldn't do that to Emma, "You keep them safe."

"Doubt LIly needs help," Baelfire shrugged, "And my own son is self sufficient"

"Maybe," Rumple nodded, "But I know plenty of those who need help that are strong."

"From you back in the day?" Baelfire asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Amongst others," Rumple agreed, "You'd be surprised how easy it is to get under the skin of a strong person."

Baelfire frowned and Rumple knew to stop, "I really wouldn't."

"Just...bring them back safely, I love all of you."

He expected Bae to not know how to react, it was hard to hear that the father that abandoned you loved you. He knew how hard it would've been to hear from his own father after getting carried away by the shadow.

But Bae nodded and hugged his father, "Yeah me too"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Baelfire crawled in the driver's seat and shut the door, he glanced over at his sister as she stared into the very large basket her mother and Belle packed, "IS that a couple meals or an entire thanksgiving feast?"

"It's still up for debate," Lily said as she sifted through everything.

He looked up to meet his eyes with his son. He knew what his father was thinking, he knew what the wives feared. That either he might talk them into staying out of Storybrooke or something might happen to them.

And maybe before he'd settled down, when they all first met, he'd have at least considered it.

But he had a family now. He'd found his place.

"Ready?"

He turned the ignition and put the car into drive.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The day was quiet. Everyone was off in their own rooms. Rumple drifted back and forth to all his wives affected by this to make sure that they were okay. The dinner was a silent affair. Rumple checked his own phone and watched the wives continuing to check their own for updates. They were small ones. Everyone arrived at Lily's place and were packing up. THey planned to spend the night before heading out again. They'd get BAe's stuff and then they'd go back to Lily's to sleep before coming home.

At least that was the plan.

He said goodnight to his wives. He kissed all of them goodnight and then went to Belle's room to make sure she and the baby she was swelling with were comfortable. He ended the night in Regina's room. She was curled up facing the wall as he shut the door behind him and changed for bed.

"It's quiet without him here," Regina said, "I went to kiss him goodnight before I realized he wasn't here."

"He'll be back in a couple of days."

"The first time he left town it was because he was scared of me," she muttered, "Then he went and found his father because he was scared of me. I can't help equating that to his fear every time he leaves."

"He'll come back."

"It's still a fear."

He slipped into the bed beside his wife and went to hold her, "We'll be okay."

"We will be," Regina said, "I just don't like the idea of our son and your other kids being where we can't save them."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," he muttered and stroked her arm.

They would be okay, they'd have to be.

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Emma still wasn't sure what she identified as in terms of her sexuality but she didn't really think about it much. She liked men, she liked Maleficent. She wondered if she'd sleep with the other wives if they offered and she felt attraction but she wasn't sure.

Maybe Belle. Possibly Regina...more maybe she was just attracted to Maleficent.

They'd grown close in their own way in that month. It wasn't just sex when they didn't have anyone that night. It wasn't just Maleficent showing her how grateful she was that Emma found Lily. They were a couple in their own way. Emma didn't know when it happens but sometimes they'd go out for a date….like a movie or dinner. And then they were holding hands and just...talking about being together in ways that were more than just sex.

Well, they WERE wives but Emma never considered it in anymore but name until they started getting together.

They even invited each other into the room during one of their nights with Rumple a couple of times.

They were more or less together, which made eahc other idea to spend the night together since Rumple with with Regina.

"What if she doesn't come back?"

"She'll come back," Emma told her with her arms around Maleficent's waist as they lay there in the bed.

"She used to threaten to leave."

"That was weeks ago when she was reacting blindly, she's family now. She likes it here. It's better than the life she had."

"She could still turn back to it. She kept threatening to when she first arrived."

"She was blindly fighting," Emma whispered, "I know, I did that. But she has stability here. She has Neal, she has a family. She has YOU. She'll come back."

"I've lost her before," Maleficent whispered, 'I won't lose her again."

Emma felt the stirring ins her stomach. She remembered what it was like to get Henry back. And those times that he went and did something that put himself in danger and she had to face the very real fear that she might lose him again . She remembered that fear. She remembered feeling that suffocating fear like she was underwater at the idea that her child could be hurt and separated from her.

"Lily's strong," she whispered to her and went to hold her closer, "She'll come back and she'll be safe."

"Rumple's right," Maleficent whispered, "It feels so still. It feels like something's going to happen. I don't know how to put my finger on it but it feels like the calm before the storm."

Emma sighed and went to roll on top of Maleficent, "Let's not think about it."

"I can't stop"

"Let me change your mind?"

Maleficent shook her head, "I'm not in the mood."

Emma bit her lip, unsure of how to proceed, "Okay"

Maleficent reached up to wrap her arms around her. Emma returned the embrace and kissed Mal, "They'll be okay. They'll come back."

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Captain Killian Jones was a pirate captain with no crew and he worked himself to exhaustion every day trying to hold his ship together. He wanted to go back, he wanted to see Emma again and show them the truth. That Rumple...or someone else had made this future be the way it was. But he couldn't.

Regina had seen to that when she ripped out his heart.

How changed was she? Why did that genocidal maniac get a second chance when he was sent away for trying to show them the truth?

Until someone found his heart, he was an outcast. He didn't belong in this world and he was exiled from his own.

And for what? Far less than his enemies had done.

He was getting ready for bed a month into his exile, he'd eaten a meager meal. A fish and some fruit that he'd stolen from a town on the coast because Regina didn't see fit to exile him with money.

"You've had more glory filled days"

Killian turned around at the sound of the voice. He found a man standing before him with blue eyes and reddish blonde hair and dressed in a suit more fitting of Rumple's new personality than anything.

Killain pulled out his sword and pointed it at the older man, "How did you get on this ship?"

The man stared at his sword pressed against his chest and gave a chuckle, "That won't hurt me, I'm immortal."

"Everything dies."

"Not the Lord of the Underworld."

Killian lowered his sword as the man's hair burst into blue flames.

"Yes, Hades, Lord of the Underworld, and I need your help."

"For what?"

"Getting revenge on those that took everything from my wife."


	30. Chapter 30

Hades liked to think himself a patient man. He was millenia old, he had seen everything there was to see when they passed his gates and it wasn't much different when he got bored and walked the earth.

But when Zelena had refused him in Oz, he had told her she would regret it. He of course had meant that when she was alone and no one continued to love her, she would realize what a mistake she'd made in refusing the one person who would. But when he got to his kingdom he realized how potentially threatening that might have sounded. Well, he was never really good with the social part of everything. He had to think that's why his brother put him down in the underworld. That and jealousy at how superior in everything Hades clearly was...and stopping his heart.

Really, his brother was a terrible person.

Zelena knew what that was like. She knew what it was like to have a sister that everyone praised for...some reason. He'd yet to know what made Regina so special. It was baffling really that she was accepted so easily. Why did Rumpelstiltskin continue his marriage to Regina that was brought on by the curse but Zelena was still unapproachable?

What made the little SAVIOR more interesting?

Why was he even baffled at this? If Rumple had chosen her, then it would've potentially meant that she wouldn't be his true love. or maybe she still would have been. The polygamous Dark One made a lot of things complicated. Things like true love and soul mates and having multiple spouses and parters got a little foggy on fairy tale beliefs.

And he wasn't even the first Dark One to have multiple at one time.

Hades really wondered what made Zoso so special to have 9 wives and Hades couldn't even get a woman to accept they were true love over one brain yanking and a celebratory dinner.

He married CRUELLA for Olympus's sake!

But Rumple had continued poor taste in women. And when he was brought back by Zelena using...someone...he forgot who, did they thank her? No. They killed her when she kept Rumple for herself.

Or that was the story they believed. He was a god, he knew the truth. He knew what they'd done and he knew how they'd all ended up here. He knew about them messing with time and screwing it all up.

And he didn't know how to fix it. Not that he cared. Zelena had been sent down there with him. Trapped in the Underworld due to her unfinished business.

So he did what any man would do for the woman they loved, he turned his underworld into Storybrooke anticipating her arrival

All she had to do was wait. He'd give her her finished business

He'd make her a goddess.

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When people were brought to his realm, it was usually hit or miss at how it went. Some had unfinished business but went peacefully. They entered his domain with no problems and got their jobs from Cora and settled into this new life with little trouble. Some wanted to say it was miserable but he counted himself a decent ruler. It was FAR better than Regina's curse, at least they had their memories and a nicer amount of free will.

Others though, if they died horribly in the overworld, they'd come here feeling the exact same fear and pain that they felt when they were dying. Zelena had taken Rumple prisoner after he resurrected, and the wives responded by annihilating Zelena once negotiations didn't work. She'd be no exception to that rule.

He knew she was due to arrive once the fight started. He'd been watching her off and on, with the viewings growing more since she'd taken the Dark One and kept him from his wives. With a hothead like Regina, a practical one like Maleficent...and ...Cruella being Cruella, that wasn't due to end well. So he put on his best suit, cleaned up his domain and was there the minute she dropped into his world.

She arrived writhing and screaming in agony. He went to her side immediately, "It's alright, you're safe now"

If she heard him, she gave no indication, "It hurts! It hurts!"

"I know," he whispered and pulled her inot his arms, "But you're saf-"

"It hurts!"

"Shhh," he pulled her into his arms and stroked her back, "No one will ever hurt you again"

Finally when she stopped struggling, he felt ehr relax, "This is the underworld."

"Yes"

"I'm dead," she said in numb defeat.

"Yes."

And Zelena clung to him and started sobbing.

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He had her moved to his domain. He gave her a dark green nightgown and put her in his room. He put her in his bed and let her sleep. Dying was hard, and most felt a bit traumatized by it. The best way to deal with that was to let them sleep. So he let Zelena have his room, he rarely used it anyway.

He put a woman that he trusted to watch over her. He gave her her space. When it was reported she awoke, he had food sent to her. She sent it back. He had clothes sent to her but his little spy told him she wouldn't wear them. She wouldn't get out of bed.

So he was there. He went to her side. She looked...different as a normal person. The green had grown on him in the time they spent together. But they were still her eyes; so distant and so sad.

"Love, you have to eat something."

"What'll I do if I don't? starve to death?"

"Well at the very least, you'll feel better."

"I heard what this food does here."

"That it binds you here?" he scoffed, "Old wives tale. Anyway it's not like you're about to go anywhere."

Zelena's gaze darkened and she turned over to turn her back ot him, "I did nothing that the others hadn't done."

"I know," he stroked her hair.

"Regina's done far worse than I have. She held one of his other wives prisoner for years but still, he loves her. He chose her. They all choose her and she's not important, she's barely changed. Why can't they see that? And if they can't, why wasn't I given the same chances?"

"They're fools," he told her. And he knew it, If Regina had done all this, she's have gotten another chance easily.

"They killed me when they all strove to redeem her."

"I Know," he told her and helped her sit up, "But we can fix this."

"How? I'm dead. I can't leave this world. We can only wait for them to die and with Rumple, that might not ever happen, he's immortal as long as he has that thing inside him."

"I have a plan," he told her, "Something I'm working on that can guarantee that we both get what we want."

"I don't want him anymore."

"And you shouldn't, because what is he really? He didn't choose you, he didn't want you like I do. He can't love you when he can't possibly be faithful to one woman. He has to have multiple to feel complete. I don't want that, I just want you."

"Why?"

"Does it matter why? How can I really explain it. You made my heart beat, you showed me I was capable of having the second chance we've both been denied for so long. I love you."

"You just want someone to make it beat again."

"If I just wanted you for that, it'd never beat because we wouldn't have the possibility of true love."

"How can I do that if I'm dead?" 

He pulled the covers back over her, "I'm working on that."

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Hades was used to dining alone. So he did it at his vanity, in his chair with his feet propped up. He'd gotten the design from a barber chair but far more comfortable.

It doubled as a barber chair too. Nothing really more to do than rule the underworld and look immaculate.

He heard a door opening in the recesses of his home but he ignored it. Probably servants moving about. He wanted to focus on his gooseliver and duck tongue. Lost delicacies overworld.

"Hello."

He nearly choked on his duck tongue when he heard the voice. He turned around and took in Zelena. She was barefoot and bare legged; the only thing she wore was one of his shirts that she'd found in his closet.

Gods, she was beautiful.

"Hello," he managed.

"I coudln't stay in that bed anymore," she started.

"Would you like something to eat?"

She thought about it and finally nodded, "Yes please."

He waves his hand and summoned a dining room table, "I owe you for the one we never had."

"I suppose that's really my fault," she sat down at one of the chairs.

"No...no, I threw something on you that you wren't ready for. I understand why you were hesitant. I forget that mortals don't experience time as we do. I had to move fast. Your life is like a vapor compared to mine. I wait too long and you're already gone."

"And join you in the underworld."

"I never wanted this for you," he confessed.

Zelena was quiet, "This is the table that Rumple had."

"I know," he said proudly, "I stole it from the Dark Castle."

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It was only a matter of time before they would meet, and Hades wanted to get it over with so he had a very special guest summoned down to his home for a surprise for Zelena.

Thus far she'd stayed pretty much underground...or...under under ground but she was getting antsy, she was wanting to explore the town he created for her. So he decided to send a little message summoning a special someone down there.

Cora had never known greatness. She got close, sure. But for all her cunning and crafty behavior, it'd been her downfall. She'd never really hidden it well, and her station as well as her gender combined with her husband's weak spine and Rumple's abandonment had resulted in her getting shunned to the edge of the kingdom where she was out of sight and out of mind.

And so she lived vicariously through her daughter.

Well, the one she hadn't abandoned.

"My love," Hades called as he heard Zelena come into the room soon after Cora did, "I have a surprise for you."

Zelena came into the room and put her hand on his shoulder, "What's this?"

Cora's face tightened, "What is this, Hades?"

"This...is your mother, love."

Zelena's head shot up. Cora stared at Hades with nothing but rage and hatred in her eyes.

And as Zelena stared at her mother, the same look reached hers, "The one who abandoned me."

"It was best for both of us," Cora said simply.

"To leave me to die?"

"Better than to be a bastard."

"Bastards were rampant in the village."

"Not in castles though. Not to woman who wanted to be royal."

"You left me in the woods!"

"I did what was best."

"For you"

"You would never understand."

"I was a baby!"

"I regretted it every day."

"Not enough to come find me."

"You were clearly found," Cora said simply.

"My mother died early. My father beat me whenever he was drunk enough, or when I accidentally used the magic YOU passed down to me. And then you went on to choose Regina."

"She was royal born."

"She's weak. You gave away the stronger daughter. I'd have done anything you wanted."

"Don't be clingy dear, it's not becoming."

Hades tensed then, "That's enough."

"What's the point of all this? To give her closure? I can't make amends for what I've done anymore than I can make amends to Regina for pushing her down the path I pushed her down when I murdered what's-his face," Cora said tiredly, "I spend a lot of my life not having my heart. I made a lot of bad decisions."

"Did you have your heart when you put a helpless baby in the woods?"

Cora was silent on that.

Hades glared her down, "You didn't really regret her at your death."

Cora paled, "Stop"

"You told your youngest daughter that she would've been enough if I recall."

"That's enough"

"Is it?" Zelena asked, "You never even told her about me."

"Why should I? I wasn't your mother. A woman that died early in your life was your mother. I just gave birth to you and left you to die. Why should I be that important in your life to dedicate it to this?"

Zelena's eyes darkened. Even Hades stood up, "You forget your place in all this, Cora."

She shrank away.

"I gave you everything you have here, I can easily take it away."

"Don't threaten me."

"Is that defiance?"

She stopped.

He picked up a glass and examined it, "All the men in Zelena's life failed her. The father that used her for financial gain before she was born. Her mentor that chose her weaker sister over her...her father that raised her. But it all comes down to her mother, doesn't it? You're just to blame in all of it. You could've raised her, but you didn't."

"And I could've drowned her in the well when she was a baby like other women did thier bastards, but I gave her a chance."

"Leaving me in the middle of the woods isn't a chance. It's just you trying to minimize your responsibility in her death," he hissed, "I should put you in the pit right now for all your sins. But I won't. Because you've done nothing to me. Her however..." he stood up and kissed Zelena's cheek, "She makes the decision."

Cora looked at her daughter, suddenly pleading, "Zelena, I regretted what I did."

"I was a mistake you didn't want to think about. I never would've been enough for you, would I?"

"It's not so simp-."

Zelena waved her hand. Cora's feet went out from under her and she went flying across the large chambers and into the far river.

The River of Lost Souls

Hades had never been so turned on in his entire life.

Zelena was shaking, "She doesn't deserve the pit. She deserves to be aware. She deserves to be a husk. She deserves to suffer."

He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. Nothing happened, he didn't expect it to since she was dead, but he still almost swore he could've felt his heart beat at any minute.

"It's a start," he promised.

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"It's a complicated yet simple plan," he told her later in their room, wrapped in the blankets. He sat up and stroked her hip, "I don't have much power in the overworld. But I do have some. All we need is to restore your body and put a heart inside."

Zelena lay on her side, "But I know how that works. I know it...wouldn't be me. And I heard how that heart thing works. I know it's painful."

"I'm the god of the underworld. The others didn't have my leave. I didn't let them have that soul, not completely. But I'm letting you go, I'm letting you have that body.

"And then I'll be alive?"

"Alive long enough to share true love's kiss."

"And then you'll be free of your brother stopping your heart."

"I'll be unstoppable," he felt her put her hand on his chest where his heart was stilled, "I can kill my brother. I can kill all of them that hurt us."

"My sister, my mentor, all of them."

"I'll give you everything you were denied and more. Because when I take my power, my darling, when my brother's toppled from his throne and all that could possibly stop us are dead...I'll make you a goddess."

Zelena's eyes grew, "You can't possibly do that!"

"I can," he gave her a kiss, "And I will. All it takes is for everythin to fall into place. If you and I work together? It'll happen."

"The Dark One will be hard to kill," Zelena warned, "And if we go after his family first, he'll come at us with such a rage, it could thwart everything."

"Yeah that whole family drama is worrisome and not handling them fast enough will trip us up."

"Do you have a plan?" 

"I think I might."


	31. Chapter 31

Their children were gone. Off to get their things so that they could come home on a more permanent basis. They posed to come back; they'd be back by tomorrow. Henry called every hour on the hour to send them photos of where they were at to show them the world that they were all missing.

It still felt terrible. Bae, Lily, and Henry were all out of their reach. All the magic in the world couldn't protect them.

Well, Emma's might, but what backup would she have if something happened and she had to go after them?

It was all they could think about as they all sat in the living room. Belle leaned on her husband. Emma lay on the other side of him with her head on his lap. Jeopardy was playing, none of them was paying attention. It was just background noise.

"I don't like feeling this helpless," Rumpelstiltskin admitted.

"I just got her back," Maleficent said from her chair and took a sip of her wine.

"I just got Henry back too," Regina whispered.

"Is this going to be what it's like when I give birth?" Belle asked.

"Yes," they all answered.

"Just think of how your child's first day of school goes, you'll be a basket case," Regina took Maleficent's bottle and took a swig, "Maybe that was just me. I was a little overprotective back then."

Rumple let out a chuckle at THAT understatement.

Regina sent to sit in front of Emma.

"We've all been separated at one point of time or another with our kids," Regina muttered, "What happens if one day our luck at reuniting with them runs out."

"Don't say that," Belle told her.

"It'd be the best karma after what we've done," Regina told her, "SOME of us…have done."

Emma reached out and went to take her shoulder. Regina tensed, looked like she was ready to lash out but instead pulled Emma's hand closer to her face. She pressed the back of it to her cheek.

"It's going to be fine," Belle said.

"Maybe. But they're still out there after being separated from us for a year, or 28, or 300…. it's not a good feeling to face again, love." Rumpelstiltskin kissed her cheek, "Not when we're all finally all together.

The door opened and shut. They all looked up as Cruella walked in with her tight leather pants and overly stuffed fur jacket that Regina had threatened to take to the local pet groomers and have it shaved.

"Hello darlings, long time no see."

"Where have YOU been?" Regina snapped.

"Being in love," Cruella smirked, "Or as much has someone like me can love anyone. Ursula says hi by the way but she has to go. Her father's calling her to have some daddy daughter time."

"Ugh, THAT mental image," Regina snapped.

"Why are you all so glum? Did you miss me that much?"

"The kids went to go get Lily and Bae's things," Maleficent said, "Henry went with them."

"Oh. Well, no one told ME."

"You weren't here to tell."

"No one called."

"You were with your new girlfriend," Regina snapped, "Maybe we'd have bothered if you showed interest in actually being in this family."

"Maybe I would if you lot were the family that wanted me."

Rumpelstiltskin raised his hand, "Please settle down, all of you."

"No, no no no," Cruella shook her head, "I was kept in an attic on account of who I am. I finally got my freedom and got married because I got drunk. I lived with that because it was a comfortable marriage. But then I lived taking the blame of what I did to Lily. I live here getting condescended and condescending to all of you and it's going to stop. The kids are gone. They'll come back. Hey guess what, I fell in love. Just like all of you in your little marriages and bi relationships together. You're not going to ruin my chance for happiness. Not when three of you aimed for getting your own no matter the cost."

She turned and went upstairs.

Regina scoffed, "Almost could agree with her until one remembers that she's an unrepentant murderer. And that's coming from me."

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"Ah the suffocating smell of smog, I don't miss that," Baelfire told his sister and son as they went into the apartment.

Lily came in behind him and looked around, "Nice place."

"Thanks."

"How did you afford something this sizable in New York?"

"My girlfriend paid for half."

"Tamara," Henry explained quickly and then nodded, "She was evil."

"Half our family could be considered evil," Lily said, "Me included."

Bae smiled a bit. _Our family_. He knew how hard that was to admit to someone else, let alone yourself. But they were starting to all come around. They were starting to develop some sort of bond together.

"You have a lot of music," Henry went to bend at the shelves of records

"Yeah, we're taking them with us."

"Won't run out of record players in a town based in 1983," Lily noted.

"nope," he started putting boxes down.

Lily wandered towards the bedroom, "Clothes? Bedding?"

"Leave it."

"Oh, that is a GREEN TV."

"We have a TV in the house."

"Not in my room," Lily pouted, "Come on, Bae. IT's GREEN"

"Fine, take it with us," he told her, "I'll certainly never see you if you're in your room all day."

He went to help her unplug it, away from Henry.

"You know, they're acting like we might not come back," Lily said quieter now that they were together.

"I think that's what they're afraid of. I'm sure they think that if I have Henry, I have no reason to return. And for awhile, you weren't really keen on staying either."

Lily was quiet, "It's different now that I'm getting to know my mom."

"Yeah," he said, "And I couldn't do that to Henry."

"Or your dad."

"Things are still complicated with him," Baelfire told her, "But we used to be close once. I'm trying to make it work. I ran from my problems for a long time and it didn't solve anything. Just all fell on me at once."

"Like the woman you love being married to your dad. And yo9ur son is also now your brother"

He scowled, "It's not funny"

"It's a little funny in a ridiculous soap opera way. No wonder everything thinks we want to do each other. Everyone's practically related to everyone in the Enchanted Forest."

"Whhyyy," he demanded.

"I blame the small villages," she told him.

"Shut up!"

"You're gonna need a genealogy chart going back quite a few generations when Henry starts dating."

"Noo!" he flailed a bit and walked out of the room.

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Rumpelstiltskin watched as Maleficent brought the two cups over, hers had coffee, his had tea.

"Maybe we ARE too hard on her," he sighed.

"Regina and she DO like to poke at each other, but sometimes Cruella tends to isolate herself," Maleficent told him.

"You think these feelings are festering?"

"I think Cruella gets angry at how her life is and how society limits her…. old hobby. So, I think some are festering, I think other feelings are just being said in anger. Cruella wasn't meant to be a regular wife. She wasn't meant to be a mother. This is probably the safest place for her. Most of us do understand her to some point."

"Ursula might too."

"Ursula comes and goes when she wants, she's got two lives. She always has." Maleficent took a drink

"Maybe you should add her to your harem."

Maleficent laughed and put her cup down and dealt some cards, "Please. Regina and Emma are a handful enough."

"Belle thinks about trying sometimes too, you know."

"And here I thought she was Rumplesexual." 

"Oh trust me, she wants me in on it too."

"Kinky,"

"Just something to think about."

"She never says anything. In fact, I thought she was firmly against the idea.'

"Well there's a curiosity there and she's shy about it."

"Does this extend to Emma or Regina?"

"No, she just wants it with you. You provide a stability," he told her and looked at her seriously, "You always have for us."

Maleficent fought tears and went to take his hand. She drew it to her lips and gave them a kiss, "I love you."

"I love you too," he stroked her face and brush some of her long hair that she was wearing down today over her shoulder, "You still look as beautiful as the day I married you."

She gave a small smile, "I couldn't do this without you."

"Nor I you."

"Pretty sure you're right about that," she gave a teasing smirk.

"I feel safe with you," he admitted, "I feel safe enough to be vulnerable with…most of them. But with you it's different. You're the one I know who will back me up through the worst and the best."

"Because a lot of the time I was there," she faltered, "And a lot of the time I wasn't."

"That's the past, it doesn't even matter." He went to kiss her, "What matters is you're here now. We all are."

Until something happened and they lost it all.

But he didn't want to think about that. For five minutes, he wanted to believe that he could keep it all


	32. Chapter 32

"They're not back yet."

Emma knew it was going to come out of Regina's mouth as soon as the evil queen got up and came downstairs for an early breakfast.

"They were taking the long way."

"They were supposed to be back two days ago."

"Henry's safe," Emma promised, "I've been tracking them, they're coming home."

"He's our son! He has no right-,"

"It's his son too," Emma said, tired of this argument.

"I don't like that." 

"Hmm," Emma shoveled food on the plate for her and Regina and put them on opposite sides of the table.

Regina narrowed her eyes, "You don't like it either."

Emma ignored her, "I think I'm getting better at making sausage."

"You're up early, you're never up early unless you're worried."

"I'm not worried," Emma told her and plopped her bacon on the plate.

"Then you just don't like he's out of your reach."

"I think that's been established."

"Henry has school," Regina sniffed

"Regina," Emma said tensely, "I don't like Henry being out there any more than you. But he's with Neal and while you don't trust him, Neal will keep him safe. So will Lily. I really don't want to have this conversation again, I have a lot on my mind."

"Like what?" Regina demanded.

Emma stopped and glanced around, "I just….Hook came in and tried to turn things upside down and then he just….he left."

Regina felt a feeling of dread seize her stomach as Emma started talking about the pirate. She remembered there was a heart beating in her vault right now that had used to belong to the pirate. Regina hadn't regretted sending him off. He needed to be sent off. He was her husband's enemy. HE wanted in her wife's pants. And he had no right to that. Regina couldn't get in her wife's pants herself! Why did HE get any right to get ahead of her in that line?

The pirate would've ruined their idyllic life together. Regina couldn't have that because she was surrounded by people that finally understood her.

"That's what he does, Emma. He traded…one obsession for the other in wanting you."

"There's just something….I can't put my finger on it about what he said."

"About how you two were meant to be together or how this was all an alternate universe?" Regina scoffed, "Alternate universes don't exist."

"That we know of," Emma took a sip of her coffee.

"If there's more than one, Is this universe so bad? We have stability here. I have stability here. Henry has a family, there's a structure we all never had. Emma," Regina reached out and grasped her wrist, "There are worse universes. If he is right, what's the say the real one is better than this?"

Emma didn't have an answer. But what if it was better? But what could be better than having a family that loved her? Even if it did come with one husband and four other wives, was that so bad? So it wasn't normal, Emma wasn't normal, she was the savior.

She let her eyes fall to the hand on her wrist, Emma realized Regina hadn't removed it, and the way she was rubbing her thumb gently over her pulse was almost sending shivers to Emma's core.

Regina noticed her noticing, "Your pulse is racing."

"And yet you don't remove your hand."

"You haven't yanked it away," she continued to rub, "maybe you like it."

"You don't even like ME"

"I like chasing what I can't have," Regina admitted, "And you're not so bad. I just…I know I hurt you, Emma. I know I took so many things-."

"Now look whose trading one obsession for another," Emma muttered, not wanting to think about what she lost, "We'd sleep together and then get bored."

"Maybe not, Maleficent keeps finding a reason to warm your bed."

"Maleficent and I are DATING."

"So, why can't we?"

"After the things we've done to each other?"

"I'm learning to do better. I'm understand what I did and what it meant. You've forgiven me," Regina told her and raised Emma's wrist up to her lips, "It's why I can do this."

She pressed her lips gently against her wrist. Emma felt goosebumps up her arm that went to the base of her neck. There was a part of her that WANTED this. If anything, to distract the two of them while they waited for Henry to get back. On the other hand, there was what Regina had cost her growing up, and Regina still had a hard temper and the things she said sometimes….

But why not? They were a family now. And Regina was learning to have regret, and she was going to therapy and showing she could be better. She was trying so hard to do the right things. Just having to share her son with multiple people without cursing anyone was evidence of that.

Not that she deserved a reward for doing decent everyday things.

They were a family now, she kept telling herself. Regina was her wife just as much as the others were. And if Regina was showing interest…. what if this was a way for them both to move on and get over it?

So Emma didn't pull away. Not when Regina slowly hissed up her inner arm. But she did balk a bit when Regina went under the table, "Regina!"

"Shut it, the floor's clean"

"That's not what I'm worried about," she scooted back a bit just as Regina lifted Emma's shirt a bit and unbuttoned her jeans.

"No one will walk in, they all have their alarms set up for later than this."

"A bed should be a little more comfortable I'd think."

"Why? We're down here anyway, I'm just further down than the rest of them" Regina went to tug Emma's jeans off.

"Is that seriously your line," Emma muttered.

"EMMA! THEY'RE BACK"

Emma jumped at the sound of her husband's excited voice. Regina jumped too and slammed her head on the table, "GACK!"

Rumple raised an eyebrow, "Regina?"

Regina crawled out from under the table with a scowl on her face, "I dropped my fork."

Emma hoped the distraction would give her time to pull on her pants but she knew her husband noticed.

"It's on the table," he said with an amused smirk.

"Might be why I couldn't find it," Regina rubbed her head, "But they're back?"

"Just pulled up."

Regina rushed to the front.

Rumple gave Emma a look, "Really?"

"We've done it in worse places."

"That's my chair"

"Like you don't like it."

"You're washing my chair. What if Henry gets confused due this long journey and sits in it?"

Emma waved her hand with magic, "There, done."

"Wasn't so hard, was it?" he teased as Emma stood up and blushed a bit.

"Shut up," Emma muttered and blushed even more at her husband's cackling.

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Henry was barely out of the car before Regina met him and threw her arms around him, "I thought you were never coming back. "

Henry wriggled a bit, "Mom, I can't breathe."

Regina reluctantly pulled away and gripped his chin to look him over, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"No strange out of border diseases?"

Henry gave her an odd look, "No?"

"The flu is a worse thing out in that world than it is in this one."

"It's not flu season," Neal muttered and went to awkwardly hug his dead.

"It's always flu season and god knows what was in that fast food you inevitably ate."

"We always eat fast food," Emma yelled from the porch.

"Granny's is _different,_" Regina yelled and took him in, seemingly satisfied with her once over.

Maleficent was the next to come down. She stared at her daughter, taking in her face, "You came back."

"Well yeah, that was…that was the intention."

Maleficent smiled warmly, "Still I worried."

"It just reminded me that I didn't have much to go back to if I left. And Bae let me have his TV," she gestured vaguely behind her, "So…it's green and…I guess I'm settling down and staying."

"Well I'm happy you are."

Lily gave another blush, "Mom…please."

Emma walked down the stairs and wrapped an arm around her son's neck and kissed his hair, "I think we should go to Granny's for breakfast."

"Didn't you have breakfast on the table?" Rumple asked.

"Just enough for a couple people and…the sausage didn't turn out as good as I thought it was."

"IT was edible," Regina said

Rumpelstiltskin smirked at whatever dirty joke was racing through his head about how he found them. Emma wasn't sure whatever she was thinking about what he was thinking was going to compare to what he was thinking.

"Still," Rumpelstiltskin agreed, "I'm hungry. I'll go wake up the others."

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"You had a good time?" Emma asked as they walked towards Granny's. Her arm was flung around her son's neck as they walked.

"I had a great time!" Henry told her, "Dad bought me so much film for my camera because I kept running out."

"So many pictures," Emma teased.

"It might be the only time I'll be out of Storybrooke," Henry told her.

"Oh kid, but you have your whole life ahead of you. You'll have…college and…maybe you'll want to travel the world."

"College won't help with the issues we face here."

"I don't want you having to take on the dangerous issues we face here, that's why you have us," Emma told him.

"You won't be around forever."

"That hardly means I want YOU to take up this mantle. It's hard, Henry. You think you know but you don't. I don't want this life for you. I wouldn't want it for anyone."

"But you have a family now! More than what you know what to do with. And maybe you can marry dad too-."

"Woah!" Emma cut in before he could continue and she shook her head, "Let's not…. that's not going to happen, Henry."

"Why not? Dad," he started, meaning Rumple, "Married five women, why can't you marry two men?"

"Because I'm married to his father, it'd be awkward," Emma told him, "And …. your father and I are still trying to figure things out after he hurt me."

"But you love him."

"yes, I love him."

"So…then you two can get married." 

"It's not always that simple," she told him, "People can love each other but sometimes…sometimes it doesn't work out. And while your father…grandfather has a set of relationships that work for him doesn't' mean that it'd work for me either. I think…I think I made my choices. And I'm happy with them. And if I decided to get involved with Neal like you want, a lot of people would end up hurt. And I can't do that to any of them. If things were different, maybe we could but they're not. Do you understand?"

"Not really."

"Yeah," Emma said tiredly, "I didn't expect you to."

"He's not the same man he was 11 years ago."

"I know, but I'm not the same woman either," she told him, "And I have a husband that I love. And…a wife I'm falling in love with."

She didn't even know what the hell Regina was supposed to be. A curious dalliance more than anything, she supposed.

"I still think it could work out," Henry muttered, "This is a place of true love. What if you're true love?"

"Sometimes it doesn't work out," Emma pulled him closer, "And that's okay. We're okay with not focusing on what could have been, we're okay with focusing on what we have now and what we have now is you. And we don't have to be together to appreciate that."

"Okay," Henry muttered.

"Okay," Emma gave him a one-armed hug, "We'll get your pictures developed after we eat. Hope your room has enough wall space for it."

Henry blushed, "MOM!"


	33. Chapter 33

Maleficent had agreed to trying a threesome with Belle even though she knew very much that it wouldn't go through. She knew Belle might be curious enough about it perhaps, sleeping with one of her wives, but Maleficent didn't think she was attracted. And Maleficent knew when someone was attracted to her, ESPECIALLY one of her beautiful wives.

So, when Belle came in, with Rumple, Maleficent knew she was going to have to be the comforter instead of the seductress. The look in Belle's eyes made her realize she was going rethinking this position.

Belle wore a nighty, revealing her growing belly. Maleficent felt a twinge of envy. Emma never got the chance to raise her baby, neither had Maleficent. Regina….it was complicated. Regina had gotten to raise Henry but not in the knowledge she was in now about her actions, not in the safety of her own family.

"Hi Maleficent," she practically stuttered and looked to their husband nervously, "I don't…. I know you didn't have to agree to this."

Maleficent came up to her and brushed some hair back, "You're going to be okay. Come, sit on the bed."

She turned to go back to the bed. Her hand went to touch her husband's side as she walked away to sit down. The goal was simple, she had a feeling Belle didn't REALLY want this. She might be one of those ones that regretted it in the morning. Maleficent couldn't put her wife through that. Emma and Regina were different from Belle.

Rumpelstiltskin was going to have to wait out this fantasy. He'd probably get a threesome eventually but Belle most likely wouldn't be involved.

Maleficent turned to face Belle, her eyes grew when Belle had dropped the nightie and now stood naked before them. Well, Rumple certainly knew how to marry attractive women, she was thankful of that.

Belle came to sit beside them; her hands were a bit over her chest.

"Belle," Maleficent started, "No one will think less of you if you don't want to go through with this."

"Everyone else…. does it. Why shouldn't I?"

"Since when do you care about what other people think?"

"It brings us all closer, sometimes…. sometimes I feel like an outsider."

"Oh Belle," Maleficent started.

Rumpelstiltskin wrapped a sheet around his naked wife, "There are other ways to get closer, why didn't you talk to us about this?"

"Without making it about me? You all were worried about the kids?"

"You're our wife," Rumpelstiltskin told her gently, "You can always talk to us."

"I don't want to be a bother."

"You're not a bother."

Belle didn't look like she believed her.

Rumpelstiltskin seemed to realize something, "Did you not want to be a bother for 28 years?"

Belle paled, she wrapped her arms around herself a bit, "If you remember, it was longer than that."

Maleficent wrapped her arm around her wife, "You're safe, Belle. And sometimes you won't feel like it but you don't ever have to feel afraid. We'll never let anything happen to you."

Her husband was more quiet. Belle still felt fear after her captivity from Regina, Rumpelstiltskin still felt crushing guilt.

"What WOULD you like from this?" Maleficent asked.

Belle tried to think, "I don't want sex, I don't think. Maybe one day but not now."

"That's fine."

"But I wouldn't mind affection."

Maleficent smiled and kissed her cheek, "I think we can arrange that."

She guided Belle back up to the bed. Belle found herself in the middle, between her husband and head wife. Maleficent wrapped her arms around Belle, enjoying the intimacy of the moment.

Belle turned and kissed her and then blushed, "I've never done that to a woman before."

Rumpelstiltskin was now VERY interested.

Maleficent ignored him, "Did you like it?"

"It sort of happened fast."

"Then let's try again."

Maleficent felt she was quite skilled at giving her wives the best kisses of their entire life.

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Emma had retired to bed early to get some reading done. Henry had been tired from his trip and with nothing to do since Storybrooke was currently quiet, Emma had gone to her room to relax.

Someone knocked on the door and slipped inside, Emma looked up when she saw Regina, "I didn't say come in!"

Regina ignored her, "Maleficent, Belle and Rumple are all in a room together."

Emma raised an eyebrow, "Damn. I wanted to be involved n his first threesome."

"He's centuries old, I'm sure with his libido, he's had threesomes before."

"Yeah, but not with us!"

Regina plopped down, "Henry saw them all going to a room together."

"Henry knows we all date each other."

"I'm sure it's going to lead to a very long talk in the morning."

"Perhaps he'll ask his dad."

Regina tilted her head, "That would be a good way to avoid it, wouldn't it?"

"Finally, you have something you'll think he's useful for," Emma muttered dryly

"Well, he did bring Henry back safely, so there's that, I suppose he's a good bodyguard too. We'll see how he is on the father front," Regina sniffed, "Even though Gold's Henry's father. Even at his most isolating he genuinely cared for our son while cursed. He…raised him well. Better than I could alone."

Emma felt the twist in her gut, the guilt she felt at Henry growing up alone was always there and it always appeared front and center when Regina brought up their past, "You didn't come here just to tattle, did you?"

"You know I didn't." Regina crawled forward, "I haven't stopped thinking about this morning."

"About how you nearly went down on me in the dining room?" Emma asked but went to start unbuttoning Regina's silk blouse. Every instinct was telling her to stop, this was something she'd probably regret. But the fact of the matter was that Emma hadn't stopped thinking about this morning either. And since her husband and wife were busy making Belle a very happy woman, she didn't have many options left.

Maybe this would even bring them closer.

Regina wrestled Emma's clothes off, and pulled back, admiring her, "I swear Emma, you better be as good as Maleficent vocally indicates."

"The rooms soundproof," Emma muttered, Regina went to kiss her heck and Emma's legs opened a bit to accompany her.

"It wasn't always." Regina whispered into her ear.

Then, as was Regina's luck, the door opened.

Regina let out a string of curses as Emma went to cover herself.

Lily stood in the doorway, staring at the two women wrapped around each other with a deadpan look on her face, "Now that's a twist."

"Oh good, it's not Henry," Regina rolled off, "You here to join or watch?"

"Maybe next time," Lily kept the same deadpan look, "I am technically your daughter after all."

"Why should that stop anyone, Rumpelstiltskin was going to marry my mom at some point," Regina stood up.

Emma sat up as well, since it was Lily and not someone like Belle or her parents, she had no want to really cover up, "Did you need something, Lily?"

"I thought your light was on, I thought you'd want to go get a drink. But if you're busy."

"No, the moment's ruined," Regina got dressed.

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"So," Lily said as they sat at the bar, "You and the evil queen."

"It's not even a relationship," Emma told her, she'd been dreading this conversation because she knew it was bound to come up eventually, might as well practice on Lily, "It's like…. a curious one night stand."

"I'm not sure you can be married to her and say it's a curious one night stand."

"Technically I'm married to Rumple."

"Technically Rumple's married to my mom and all four of you are mistresses."

"According to the outside world's laws," Emma lifted her beer bottle in a salute, "But we don't follow their laws together, do we?"

"Nope, thank god, though it's bound to make a therapist a load of money."

"That your mom and adopted dad have four other wives?"

"That my girlfriend of two days is with my mom and my dad now."

Emma felt a blush creep to her cheeks. She didn't see the need to tell her family that she and Lily had agreed to be together when she thought Lily was an orphan too. Of course, that was all forgotten about when it was all revealed to be a lie. She'd even forgotten about their doe eyed innocent romance until recently.

"I never really stopped thinking about you," Lily told her.

"Obviously, you were going to kill my parents for a while."

"That's in the past."

"It better be."

"It'd be a whole hell of a lot more awkward if we were still dating by the time I found out."

"Yeah, I can see how that'd put a wrench in marriage plans," Emma muttered

"Imagine US getting married," Lily laughed.

"It'd be a complicated relationship to be sure."

Lily watched her, "We're bound together though….in ways that…I don't even completely understand."

"Me either," Emma told her, "You're still capable of good, I'm still capable of bad…"

"It's just hard for me to do good."

"Sometimes it's hard for all of us to do good," she told her gently

Lily was quiet, "We both know that I'm very different."

Emma sat there and turned the beer on the table, "I have to admit I feel a lot of things for you. I feel drawn to you because of our past and what my parents did…and because of what my parents did, I feel responsible for you as well."

"I know," Lily told her, "I'm sorry I was going to kill your parents."

"I'm sorry they ruined your life over me."

She and Lily watched the other.

"It's almost like a twisted true love, isn't it? We're bound together, keep running into the other because of that bound."

"But I can't be with you, Lily. Not when I'm dating your mom and adopted dad. That's too twisted for even me."

"Do you want to, though?"

"Part of me does, but I'm not sure if that's guilt, actual desire, or the old 14-year-old me that was having her very first teenage crush."

"Me too," Lily took another drink, "But the evil queen? Really Emma?"

"Yeah, I know."

"She ruined your life."

"And I'm married to the man that dropped his son into a portal and helped start all this. He's even your adopted father. I know it's not healthy but I'm not looking for a loving relationship with her. It was just a night to see what it was like."

"You deserve better. Way better than her."

"She's trying to do better."

"Even her at this point, you deserve better."

"Like you?"

"I wouldn't ask you to leave the family you've brought yourself because of me. I wouldn't have you do that to your son," Lily told her, "But I'm just telling you, you don't have to be with Regina because she wants you and you married the same man she did. If you need something to pass the time that badly, get a puppy. I think they're about the same in terms of needing affection."

Emma gave a small smile, "Still as blunt as ever."

"Oh having parents that love me now instead of seeing me as a testament of their charity won't shut me up," she finished her drink, "Encourages me actually."

"I can see that."

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It didn't disappoint Lily that Emma refused her. She was really relieved actually. Dating the woman that was dating her parents would be weird, even for her twisted mentality.

And she knew she was going to be dating how she imagined Emma. Not how Emma was.

"Quite the interesting choice of partner, you have there."

Lily turned at the voice behind her. She was a few feet from her car, she could probably make it if she pretended to ignore him.

The red headed man in a suit that looked like he robbed Rumpelstiltskin's closet stepped out of the shadows.

"DO I know you?"

"No," he said, "But I know you…or about you actually. Us gods don't really visit each other's children. And my brother…. oh, he's given me a ton of nieces and nephews, it's hard to keep track of them all."

Lily tensed, "Who are you?"

"My name is Hades," he said simply, "Lord of the Underworld. And if you're feeling out of sorts in this place, you should be. Because this world isn't real."

Lily blinked, "What?"

He smirked, "Would you like to enter what's actually reality?"


	34. Chapter 34

It was all so much to process as Lily stood there staring at the man in the long coat that resembled something her stepfather would wear. She felt every bone in her body grow rigid as she set on the man's ice blue eyes.

"Wh-what?" she asked.

The man sighed and rolled his eyes, "I ASKED if you wanted to see what your reality actually is."

Lily took a step back, "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Afraid I'll hurt you?" he lifted an eyebrow, "Not on your life. Not to my niece of course."

"My mom didn't -"

"Not your mom, Lily. I mean really," Hades sighed, "You're smarter than this."

Lily tried to put it altogether in her head, "Zeus?"

"One in the same," he waved his hand, "Now moving on."

"Zeus is my father?!" Lily took another step back, "Nah, you're lying. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"Zeus leaving his little cloudy throne to come in the form of a creature and impregnate her somehow IS his way, your mother just happened to be a dragon at the time, and thus so was he. Not sure if he knew she was human or not at the time though. The only thing he hasn't tried sticking his dick in is myself and Poseidon and that might be questionable on Poseidon's part. Anyway, it was either as a dragon your stepfather's form if that were the case. If he hadn't already done so…point is Lilith, you're a demigod. A powerful one at that given your mother's bloodline too. Now I know it's shocking for you to know your parentage but for me this is an everyday thing, so could we please just get on with it?"

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Lily repeated

Hades sighed, "I understand you have trust issues given your past."

"How do you know about my past?"

"I think we've established that I'm a god, I know everything about everything, it's my job."

"Especially family, right?"

"I also understand that might take some time to sink in," he told her, "As I've stated but once you settle down, you'll find I'm the most passive family you'll ever have."

"Bye," Lily started to walk away.

"This isn't your reality, Lily," Hades called after her, "You deserve better than any of this. You're a demigod!

Lily ignored him and went to get in her car. She slammed it, locked it, turned it on.

"Demigoddess," she whispered and pulled out of the parking lot.

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Lily supposed that she should just brush off the crazy man as a liar and go home to the house she and Baelfire lived at and get some sleep. But she didn't. She went right to her stepdad's house and woke everyone up to tell them what she'd been told.

"And that's everything he said?" Rumple asked when she was done.

She nodded and put her hands in her pockets awkwardly, "Yeah, he- he said I was a demigoddess and I wasn't in the right reality. None of us were."

Rumple summoned himself a drink and poured it down his throat with a curse. He glanced over to Maleficent, "Did you know it was Zeus?"

Maleficent had been pale as soon as she heard the story, Lily looked closer and saw her mother was shaking, "N-no. I never knew it was Zeus, when it happened, I just knew it was another dragon and that's all I know."

Rumpelstiltskin went to take her hand, Maleficent pulled away and Rumple backed up.

Emma stared ahead, "He said this wasn't reality, it backs up Hook's claims."

"you mean the claim where he said I did it all?"

"Maybe he only figured it out halfway but this isn't the first time we heard this story," Emma snapped, "And remember what happened last time I heard the same story from multiple curses? Yeah, I do. the story was about the curse I was destined to break."

"So, they say it's not our reality," Regina snapped, "So what? It's the reality we have now, do we really want to give that up based on the word of a jilted pirate and the god of the underworld?"

Rumpelstiltskin visibly shivered, "He's not as passive as h wanted you to believe, Lily. You were right to walk away from him."

"Walk away from my potential uncle," Lily muttered.

"Hey," Rumpelstiltskin said more firmly, "The last thing you want to do is put a spotlight on who you are and get in the middle of the gods' little feuds. Especially when you're an offspring to the man Hera married. You have a thousand half siblings who could testify to that."

"What do you think I'm supposed to do then?" Lily snapped.

"Nothing," Rumpelstiltskin said, "Because while you may know the man who fathered you, that's it. This changes nothing about what we are to each other. As far as …whether or not this is reality, we'll talk about it in the morning. This is a lot to take in, I'm sure, for you, Lily. It's a lot for us all to think about. And right now, the last thing we need is to rush in to anything that might be a trap. Even worse, a family dispute we don't want."

Lily looked miserable, but nodded, "Okay."

"Okay," he put a hand on her shoulder, "Get some rest."

"Doubt I will now."

"It's okay," Maleficent went to wrap her arm around her daughter, "I'll stay up with you."

"Same," Emma went to get more comfortable.

Cruella was the only one starting to get up, when she looked around, she saw no one moving, "Oh…is this a united family front thing?"

Lily narrowed her eyes at her stepmother.

"Go to bed, Henry," Emma told her son.

"Aw mom!"

"You have school tomorrow." a

"I want to stay up and plot about fighting gods." a

"No one's plotting anything, it's time to sleep!" Emma went to walk him upstairs.

"But-."

"Or Cruella drives you to school."

The rest of the escort was met with silence.

Emma came downstairs and sat back down. She pulled the pillow against her chest and looked at their husband, "Tell us everything about Hades and why he might want to interfere with our family."


	35. Chapter 35

** 3 Months Later **

Belle would never lie about it, sometimes sharing her husband with four other women was difficult. Being the first wife pregnant while they were all together was even more challenging. And of course watching some of the wives being intimate with the others while she didn't want to was difficult in itself, like she was excluded for all these things. She was the special one. The straight pregnant true love.

Not that he didn't love the others, but true love used to mean something and so Belle knew she was sort of special but it felt more isolating sometimes than the enlightening thing it should be.

That's why it was a relief when it was her nights with Rumple. Because all her fears at being isolated were gone. She felt special.

She had him all to herself

And just because she was six months pregnant didn't mean she was slowing down.

They'd had sex four times last night and Belle made sure they'd awakened before they had to get up to have it twice more. There was something beautiful now that she was pregnant in their love making. She didn't know how to explain it but it felt like there was more to it now.

"Wow," Rumplestiltskin whispered as he stared up at the ceiling.

Belle brushed some sweaty hair out of her eyes, "That was amazing."

Best sex they'd had in awhile. But sometimes Belle got the urge to just go at him relentlessly like this. Constantly. She'd clearly been bottling this up.

"Hey ," Belle rolled on her side, "I think maybe you should take today off."

"I could…," he brushed some hair back, "But I have lunch with the kids. They say they finally got the house the way they wanted it and they want me to see it alone."

"Looking for your approval," she said while beaming.

"Maybe," he turned to roll over on her, "One more time though?"

"Like it'll be one more time," Belle giggled.

And the room was filled with Belle's excited screaming.

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Maleficent and Regina lay in bed together, in the room next to Belle's.

"It's a good thing we cloak Henry's room," Regina grumbled.

Maleficent threw back the covers, "Lets just get breakfast ready."

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Emma was already downstairs asleep when Regina and Maleficent came downstairs. She had made a bed on the couch. Maleficent took in her wife admiringly. Gods she was so beautiful when she slept. That's part of the reason why Maleficent liked having that relationship with her, because of how peaceful she looked when she was resting.

"I'm going to get started on breakfast," Regina said after noticing.

"Okay," Maleficent grabbed her hand and went to kiss her. Regina automatically returned it. Mal knew there was some jealousy there but not enough to send Regina into a flying rage. Some insecurities happened, they always did in a polygamous marriage as far as Maleficent could tell. She didn't know for sure though, but it made the most sense.

Maleficent knelt down and kissed Emma's forehead, "Hey."

Emma slowly woke up and rubbed her eyes, "Hey."

Maleficent stroked her hair, "Couldn't sleep?"

"Hard to when hearing the Carol of the Belle."

Maleficent chuckled, "Well there's something about sex while pregnant."

"I never got to experience that."

Maleficent frowned and stroked her hair, "Maybe one day."

"Maybe one day," Emma whispered. But only after Belle had given birth. They all agreed that this would be Belle's few months and no one would take that away from her by intentionally getting pregnant.

She lifted up the comforter, a playful tired look in her face. Maleficent took her in. Emma never wore pants to bed. She usually wore even less when she was with Mal. So Maleficent enjoyed the view of her wife in her panties and tank top with no bra before she kissed her again, "Henry will be up soon. You better head up."

"Carry me?" Emma pouted playfully.

"Eh, maybe tonight." She whispered and kissed her cheek, "I'll make you scream louder than Belle ever could."

"And keep up a pregnant woman?" Emma asked and stood up, "What sort of monsters would we be?"

Emma walked over to the kitchen counter. Regina glanced over, also admiring her as well. Emma reached up and grabbed a cup. There was an attraction still. Mostly because Emma was something Regina knew she couldn't completely have. There was a spoken agreement they wouldn't pursue it because then Regina would probably lose interest and it'd be a mistake. There was an unspoken agreement to continue the attraction, continue the teasing and the flirting. Emma didn't seem to mind that as long as she knew she was no longer pressured to get in bed with Regina.

"That's not your first cup, is it?"

"Nope," Emma took a drink.

"How you live on caffeine is a mystery to me."

"I think I"m 10 percent savior and 90 percent caffeine," Emma told her and took another drink.

"Henry will be awake in about ten minutes."

"I know," Emma smirked, "Won't take ten minutes to get up the stairs."

"So you're giving me something to admire in the meantime?" she looked over Emma, "You've been working out."

"Keeping a husband and a wife happy now."

"Could be husband and two wives."

"But it wouldn't be, not for long."

And Regina knew she had a point. It would be a fling and nothing more. And wives shouldn't have flings with the other. They should have long lasting relationships. That's what she'd promised herself when she decided her sex life would be better and healthier than it used to be.

But that didn't stop them from playing 'what if' and truthfully Regina found herself way more turned on by that with Emma than she would sex with her. Sex was sex. She got sex with her husband she got sex with Mal. It wouldn't be much different than with Emma.

"I have a lunch with your mother," Regina told her, "You should come."

"I've got lunch with Sidney, he wants some fluff piece over safer streets."

"Shame. I'm sure she'd….really like to see you."

"I'm having lunch with her tomorrow."

"So things are better between you then."

"On it's way to, maybe. I hope. It's been a long road but…there are just things to slowly work out, you know?"

It'd been a lot easier once Lily decided to stay. It was still somewhat tense but they'd been on the road to recovery once Maleficent could have a relationship with her daughter

"I should go head and head upstairs," Emma put the cup in the sink.

"I still have a few minutes yet," Regina faux pouted.

"Geez, you're heard to please!" Emma said, "A few years back, you wouldn't have even wanted THIS much."

A few years back, Regina would never have admitted she was bisexual to some extent or wanted anyone else near her husband; no matter how little she wanted him herself. Regina felt herself complicated. The only way she could really bond with the wives was extreme tolerance because she felt she owed them….like Belle. Or sexual overtures because she felt that's what she was good at. Anyone outside the marriage was a result of her trying very very very hard to be better.

"I COULD see the rest of it," Regina offered, continuing their game.

"Ah but I gotta get upstairs," Emma walked away, "Henry might be awake soon."

"You're a tease!"

"That's what gets you off!" Emma told her as she trotted upstairs.

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Breakfast in the Paige/Cassidy house was usually a dull affair, which was fine by both of them. It usually consisted of toaster ready pop tarts and milk and then they were on their way.

"Your mom teach you how to magic up a seven course meal, yet?" Neal asked when Lily decided to try to take this morning to make some oatmeal.

Lily chuckled, "No, but I'll add that on the list of things to learn."

Neal pulled himself up on the counter and watched his sister. Magic didn't scare him and he didn't hate it. Not anymore. Lily was learning it, Emma was learning it. He saw it differently than he did all that time ago, he'd learned to separate magic from the user. It was neutral , it didn't have light or darkness. The person using it decided THAT.

"So you wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"It's been three months…you know, since you found out you were a demigoddess. Daughter of Zeus and all that jazz."

Lily glanced up at him and quickly looked down, stirring faster, "So I know who fathered me now. No big deal."

"It sort of is though, you're far greater than any of us could possibly be."

"Except maybe Emma," Lily whispered and turned the stove lower, "I really don't know what to say about it, Neal."

"You don't have to, but maybe if you wanted to talk about it-."

"My biological father didn't care," she looked at him, "Rumple…for all his flaws shows more concern and love for me than my own biological father ever did. He banged my mom and he flew away. And…if he knows I exist then he stood by while I got darkness shoved in me and dropped in another world and he did nothing. What's there to talk about? I don't want any part of the gods. The more I read about their mythology the more I realize they're even more petty than us. I have magic. That's all my father gave me. That's what my mother gave me too. And Rumple has it. So it's easier to shove him being my father out of my mind and focus on the dad that actually wants me. Because guess what, that makes my stepmom Hera and NO one wants a stepmother in Hera. She threw her own biological son out of Olympus for being deformed for heaven's sake. I'll pass on that family reunion. I'd rather have ours….messed up as we are."

He listened to her rant. Without a word, he hugged her and kissed her cheek, "Well, I'm happy you're my sister."

Lily smiled, "Thanks Neal."

"Even if you're burning the oatmeal still."

Lily cursed and went to turn it down.

"Hey, we have time with my son tonight."

"How did you manage that?" Usually it was a fight for Regina to sign off on him coming over.

"I dunno, but I'll take my place where I can."

"Maybe the Queen-That-Stamps-her-Foot is softening up. Maybe you can get a weekend one day without a fight."

"Yeah, I"m not pushing my luck."

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Regina couldn't say that she really looked forward to these little coffee dates with Snow White. It was part of her self imposed therapy in a lot of ways. Snow wanted a relationship and Regina felt like she owed her since she ruined her life and ruined her daughter's life. So Snow got as much of a relationship as Regina could tolerate giving her.

Mostly it was a way for Snow to glean information out of Regina about Emma, a way to get the things that Emma didn't talk about. Regina and Emma weren't the closest wives in the house but Emma was a little more open there. It wasn't intentional. Just that she couldn't keep up her charade 24/7

"It's going to be a cold winter," Snow said, interrupting Regina's interest in the passing crowd of people.

"Farmer Almanac you're married to tell you that?"

Snow blinked, "his name is David and he's a person, Regina. He's not a farmer's almanac."

"Right, sure," Regina focused more on the crowd again.

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Snow asked.

"I'm the mayor, I always have somewhere to be."

"You're not TECHNICALLY the mayor when everything's decided through Emma," Snow reminded her.

"Well, even the Queen of England has her responsibilities, I"m sure I"m no different."

"From a queen that's kept her throne?"

Regina wasn't sure she liked Snow's attitude here.

Snow looked around, "I'm pregnant."

Regina just watched her, not revealing her surprise. Her step daughter was having a baby, the wives could get pregnant…she couldn't. Not after the barren curse she took on herself., "Does Emma know?"

"Only Charming knows."

"Not even Whale?"

"I didn't take a test! I just know! I knew when I was pregnant with Emma and this is exactly the same."

"Well I suppose congratulations are in order….," Regina looked up, "Or isn't this good news?"

Snow was quiet, "The baby's going to have everything Emma missed."

That Regina took from her. She robbed her own wife of her childhood.

"This is going to be hard for her to hear," Snow continued.

"What, you want me to-."

"No!" Snow started, "No, no no…I just think…this could cause some tension, you know. Because she never got that relationship we both wanted between mother and daughter….and things are good. Tense sometimes, but I suppose that's to be expected…things are good. And what if me telling her I'm pregnant now ruins that?"

"It won't ruin it," Regina said, "Emma's stronger than you think. She has…a wife about to give birth. You're her mother, she knows it won't replace the relationship you both have."

"But it's not the one we ever wanted."

"It's the one you have."

"I know. But all I remember is that confession in the cave and now all she'll think about is that too. She'll think about what she didn't have."

"Emma's. Stronger," Regina told her, "She knew this day would come. She would have to. Her parents are the same age as her and she's….within child bearing range."

Snow flinched, "Well when you put it like that…."

Regina couldn't believe she was ever at this spot in her life where she was encouraging Snow over ANYTHING, "Just talk with her. That's what all you used to do, right?"

"That was before."

Before Lily.

"Emma forgave me," Regina said and stood up, "If she can forgive me, she can easily forgive you."

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Regina had barely seen her husband all day because of her work, even though it was supposed to be Belle's day. She stuck around in her office and was late for dinner. She warmed it up with her magic and ate while her family milled around the house moving on with theirs.

It was almost peaceful.

But the threat of Hades wasn't out of Regina's mind, just like it wasn't out of anyone else's. What did he want? Why did he care about Lily as one of Zeus's children? He had an agenda. It seemed no one came to the town without an agenda anymore. And it wasn't like Hades would ever journey up just to see one of Zeus's many many bastards.

So then what was going on? He popped up and then three months of quiet?

When did the other shoe drop?

She heard the door open and close, she looked up from her bed and saw her husband.

"You're not Zeus are you?" she asked.

"Why do you ALWAYS ask that?" Rumple asked and started changing for bed.

"Because apparently he still does what he does and that's go in disguise and force women."

"I doubt he'd be bothered with this little pocket," Rumplestiltskin climbed in bed and kissed her stomach.

"I doubt he'd have to worry about fathering another bastard."

"He wouldn't be it's father, he'd be the sperm donor, dear. I'd be it's father."

"Well luckily we can avoid that drama. I"m barren," she brought it on herself.

He kissed her side, she moaned and writhed a bit under his touch, "Rumple, Right there."

"I have a favor I must ask of you."

"Hmm?"

"Belle's to find out the gender of the baby tomorrow."

Regina understood immediately, "You want me to give some of my day to Belle so that you could be there."

Rumple pulled himself up and stared down at her, "It'd be a polite thing to do."

"It's my day though, why couldn't she do this today?"

"No time for an appointment. Everyone else is pregnant it seems."

"You used to not stand for that," Regina reminded him.

"It seems my pregnant third wife would not have me intimidating my way to securing a doctor's appointment."

"So whipped," Regina sighed, "You could do it yourself. Find out what the baby is."

"Ah, no magic would let us see the baby because of the ultrasound," he kissed her breastbone.

"You better make it up to me."

He grinned, "I love you."

"Not good enough."

"Just letting you know," he disappeared under the covers by Regina's waist.

And Regina realized sometime later that she, like Belle, had forgotten to cloak her room.

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"Are you SERIOUS?" Emma groaned and shoved her head under the pillow. She'd barely gotten any sleep on that uncomfortable couch LAST night because of Belle and Rumple's overtures and now she hardly looked like she was going to get much sleep at all tonight. Regina had a long libido.

Maleficent lay there and sighed, "We could always cloak the room."

"You all couldn't do that last night?"

"That took effort and we didn't think Belle could go for that long."

Well she did. and Emma hadn't quite figured out how to put a sound cloak around her room yet. One would think she'd get on that since she had four other wives who liked being married to Rumple, she'd get on that but she kept forgetting.

"We could always outdo then," she offered.

Maleficent chuckled, "Love to, but I need sleep."

She waved her hand, cloaking the room into thankful silence and turned to Emma, rubbing her back.

Emma watched her and scooted closer, "I love you."

Maleficent blinked, "What?"

"I know it's only been like four months since we started dating, and it's really hard to confess this but you're my wife and we've been married longer than we were dating and you seem to understand me and-."

Maleficent's heart soared. She had it with Rumple and she'd nearly ruined it. Regina was harder to pin down in her feelings…

But Emma loved her, she was loved.

She kissed Emma passionately, "I love you too."

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Cruella thankfully did not have to hear her wives getting randy, she knew to avoid the house when they were all giving each other THAT look. Granny was well aware of her by now. They were almost on a first name basis.

They still din't like each other, Cruella would've worn her wolf pelt happily if she could.

But even she knew to stay away during Wolf Time. She always threatened the pelt thing….and Red could still turn.

But tonight was an inn night. She was still expecting company and she wasn't taking Ursula back home. Nothing killed a mood faster than your husband and wives practically in an orgy.

Ursula came on time, like she always did. Cruella was waiting with some high end clothes (designed by Cruella herself).

"We need to talk," Ursula said, sliding her tentacles back to….wherever those tentacles went.

"CAn't we just go to bed? I'm tired, I have to live HERE and it's EXHAUSTING."

"No, we have to talk now." Ursula stripped out of her weird seaweed dress and started changing into the clothes Cruella brought her.

"What about?" Cruella demanded. They couldn't be breaking up! Cruella hadn't even done anything bad lately that Ursula knew about.

"My father approached me last night. He's the Greek god of the sea, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Cruella sighed, like she'd forget.

"His brother is Hades, and he says that Hades is starting to do things above here."

"Which is something I already know."

"No, you don't understand. He's controlling someone you know. He has control of Hook. Cruella, he's back in town."


End file.
